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PUBLISHED FROM DELHI & KOLKATA VOL. 4, ISSUE 49 | Monday, 19 February 2018 | Kolkata | Pages 16 | Rs 3.00 NO HALF TRUTHS SHIBPUR IIEST 76% POLLING TRUMP TURNS ‘HAVEN’T GOT THE STUDENT KILLED, IN TRIPURA ON FBI AFTER OPPORTUNITY THREE OTHERS ASSEMBLY CRITICISM FROM TO PROVE MY INJURED PG4 POLLS PG5 SURVIVORS PG10 CAPABILITY’ PG16 Plane crashes in Iran MAMATA CALLS FOR PROBE INTO THE MULTI-CRORE FRAUD CASE 200 shell firms under ED, killing all 66 aboard TEHRAN: An Iranian passenger plane on a PNB not only bank domestic flight crashed into the country’s Zagros I-T department scanner mountains on Sunday killing all 66 people on board, officials said. MPOST BUREAU The Aseman Airlines flight left Tehran’s Meh- rabad airport around 0800 for the city of Yasuj involved in scam: CM NEW DELHI: At least 200 in Isfahan province, said Mohammad Tabatabai, shell firms and “benami” director of public relations for the airline. assets have come under the The plane crashed into Dena mountain, part OUR CORRESPONDENT scanner of the investigative of the Zagros range, around 23 kilometres from agencies that are probing the Yasuj, some 500 kilometres south of the capital, KOLKATA: Demanding a probe Rs 11,400-crore alleged fraud he told state broadcaster IRIB. into the recently unearthed Punjab at the Punjab National Bank “After searches in the area, unfortunately, we National Bank (PNB) fraud case, (PNB), involving diamond were informed that the plane crashed. Unfortu- Bengal Chief Minister Mamata czar Nirav Modi, his relative nately, all our dear ones lost their lives in this Banerjee alleged that other banks are and business partner Mehul incident,” said Tabatabai. also involved in the scam. Choksi and others. The plane was carrying 60 passengers, Asserting that the PNB scam had The Enforcement Direc- including one child, as well as six crew, he added. taken place during demonetisation, torate (ED), which contin- It is suspected that the recently came to light, follow- A helicopter sent by Iran’s national emer- she claimed that the fraud involving ued its searches against Modi, shell firms were being used ing a complaint by the PNB, gency services was unable to land at the site of billionaire jewellery designer Nirav Choksi and their companies by the accused to launder that they allegedly cheated the the accident due to severe weather, its spokes- Modi, was only a fraction of a mam- for the fourth day on Sun- money and create “benami” nationalised bank to the tune man said. moth fraud in several Indian banks. day, is also moving to attach assets in the form of land, gold of Rs 11,400 crore, with the The Relief and Rescue Organisation of Iran’s “This is just the tip of the iceberg. at least two dozen immov- and precious stones, which is purported involvement of a Red Crescent said it had dispatched 12 teams to This big banking fraud was fuelled able properties under the Pre- now being probed by the tax few employees of the bank. the region. at the time of #DeMonetisation. Big vention of Money Laundering department. The CBI is examining bal- “Given the fact that the area is mountainous, money laundering happened during Act (PMLA). Both the ED and the IT ance sheets of 18 India-based it is not possible to send ambulances,” Mojtaba DeMo,” the Chief Minister tweeted. The ED on Sunday raided department had formed spe- subsidiaries of the Gitanjali Khaledi, spokesman for the national emergency Alleging that key officials at least 45 premises, includ- group of companies pro- services, told ISNA news agency. were changed in some banks dur- ing jewellery showrooms moted by Mehul Choksi to Decades of international sanctions have ing demonetisation, Banerjee also and workshops, across the PNB FRAUD understand the money trail left Iran with an ageing fleet of passenger demanded an investigation into the country. cial teams to investigate the of funds taken from various planes which it has struggled to maintain and people who replaced them and those “As many as 29 prop- case, sources said. banks from Rs 11,384 crore modernise. involved in effecting the transfers or erties – of Modi, his fam- The ED has seized dia- of guarantees furnished by It has suffered multiple aviation disasters, removals. This is just the tip of the iceberg. This ily members and companies monds, gold jewellery and the Punjab National Banks, most recently in 2014 when a Sepahan plane “Key bank officials were changed. big banking fraud was fuelled at the time – that have been provision- other precious stones worth officials said here on Sunday. crashed killing 39 people. Who are these people put in? There ally attached by the Income Rs 5,674 crore till now in the As investigations into the Tabatabai said the plane that crashed on are more banks involved. The full of #DeMonetisation Big money laundering Tax department are being case. The I-T department Rs 11,400 crore scam at PNB Sunday was a twin-engine turboprop ATR-72. truth must come out,” she tweeted assessed by the ED under the Saturday attached nine bank gather momentum, officials Aseman currently has a fleet of 36 planes – on Sunday. happened during DeMo,” PMLA. accounts of Gitanjali Gems, at overseas branches of other half of them 105-seat Dutch Fokker 100s. It may be mentioned that the BJP- A few more assets will its promoter Mehul Choksi banks, where the fraudulently Its three Boeing 727-200s are almost as old led NDA government had demon- the Punjab National Bank in Mumbai. of people’s money must be ensured. be attached soon under the and others in connection with issued Letter of Undertakings as the Islamic revolution, having made their first etised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes on There has been a scam of Rs 11,000 We will not let them (the Central anti-money laundering law,” a tax evasion probe against (LoUs) were encashed, are flights in 1980. AGENCIES November 8, 2016, claiming that crore. This is the money of common government) off the hook until that a senior ED official said. them. under scanner, sources said. it would curb circulation of black people. Who took away the money? happens.” He added that the ED It had also attached 29 Officials of Hong Kong money. Who ate it up?” Meanwhile, mudslinging between and the I-T department properties and 105 bank branches of Indian lenders Banerjee had been vocal against She had demanded a thorough BJP and the Congress has begun in had zeroed in on about 200 accounts of Modi, his family including Allahabad Bank, Give me peace, I the PNB scam as soon as it came to probe into the incident and said, full swing over the scam, with both dummy or shell companies in members and firms owned State Bank of India (SBI), the forefront. While addressing a pub- “Offenders will run away after steal- parties blaming each other for allow- the country and abroad that by them. Union Bank, UCO Bank and will pursue dialogue lic meeting at Jhargram on February ing the money but what will happen ing Nirav Modi and his associates were being used to route or Modi, Choksi and others Axis Bank are part of the 15, she had said, “Today people are to the common man? Scams like this involved in the fraud, to flourish dur- receive funds as part of the are being investigated by mul- entire fraud which continued MEHBOOBA MUFTI shocked to see what has happened in must be investigated. The security ing their respective tenures. alleged fraud. tiple probe agencies after it for 7 years. In today’s Congress demands white paper ... paper on banking system CITY MPOST BUREAU MEDICAL ASPIRANTS IN A FIX 4 NATION NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sun- JK HOME DEPT IGNORED WARNINGS 5 day alleged that “fraudsters” were linked to the “highest echelons” of OPINION the BJP-led NDA and urged the gov- THE E-VEHICLE PARADOX 8 ernment to bring out a white paper on the banking system which it said INTERNATIONAL had witnessed scams involving over HUGE FIRE ENGULFS JOKHANG TEMPLE 11 Rs 61,000 crore in the last five years. “Bank frauds are tumbling out BUSINESS of the closet faster than you can say, Jack Robinson,” Congress spokesper- GOVT TRANSFORMING AVIATION 12 son Manish Tewari said, alleging that The frauds in the Indian banks are SPORT another banking fraud was now out growing every day, the former Union in the open. minister said, claiming that accord- MOURINHO SWEAT OVER POGBA 14 Referring to the Rs 11,400-crore ing to Reserve Bank of India data, Rs scam in which billionaire jewel- 61,260 crore of banking frauds had ler Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul taken place in the last five years. FOR ADVERTISING Choksi allegedly acquired fraudulent Therefore, the Congress party kindly contact at 9810195709 letters of undertaking (LoUs) from “demands a white paper on the Indian or state-owned Punjab National Bank banking system from the government,” (PNB), Tewari said while the “Modi- he said, adding that the BJP-led NDA [email protected] Choksi tango” was still going on, should direct all banks to publish and reports had emerged about another declare the name of fraudsters and FOR SUBSCRIPTION banking fraud. details related to NPAs ( non-perform- kindly contact at 8800854665 Vikram Kothari, the owner of ing assets). or Rotomac pens, owes Rs 800 crore to a The total NPAs of all public and [email protected] consortium of Indian banks and was private banks were worth Rs 8,36,782 now untraceable, he said. crore as of September 2017. Kamal Haasan meets Rajinikanth Rotomac Pen’s `800 cr defaulter ahead of statewide political tour flees country MPOST BUREAU had announced last year. NEW DELHI: After billion- He called the tour a “jour- aire diamantaire Nirav Modi, CHENNAI: Actor-politician ney of discovery” during which another defaulter Vikram Kamal Haasan met superstar he will attempt to “understand Kothari, the promoter of Rajinikanth on Sunday ahead people’s needs and aspirations” Rotomac Pen, has also alleg- of starting his statewide mega- and said he would meet the edly gone abroad after swin- tour. But hitting brakes on people he likes before he starts. dling Rs 800 crore from renewed speculation about a In December, after Rajini- various public sector banks political collaboration between kanth made the long-awaited including Allahabad Bank, them, Haasan told reporters announcement about his entry Bank of India and Union Bank that it was a “courtesy call” and into politics, the two actors of India, sources said. not related to politics. have repeatedly been asked if The Kanpur-based compa- Haasan, who is also gearing they would contest elections ny’s owner had taken a loan of up for his first political meet on together. Both have ducked the more than Rs 800 crore from Wednesday, spelt it out again. question with a “time will tell”. over five state-owned banks. “Only time will tell on both of Haasan has indicated that Allahabad Bank, Bank of us joining hands... I came to Actor Kamal Haasan, who is all the political compatibility is India, Bank of Baroda, Indian inform Rajini about my polit- set to start his political journey the key. “It isn’t like choos- Overseas Bank and Union ical tour... Rajini wished me addresses reporters PTI ing the star cast for films,” he Bank of India compromised good luck,” Haasan told report- wrote in his column in the their rules to sanction loans ers outside the superstar’s resi- A strident critic of the state’s popular Tamil weekly “Ananda to Rotomac, sources said. dence in posh Poes Garden. ruling AIADMK government, Vi k a t a n”. Kothari took a loan of Rs 485 “Kamal wants to serve the Haasan is expected to unveil In his speech last week at crore from Mumbai-based people of Tamil Nadu. I pray his governance model this the Harvard University of the Union Bank of India and Rs to God that he attains success,” week at Rameswaram, after US, Haasan had been more 352 crore from Kolkata- based Rajinikanth said. “He has not which he would begin his state- forthcoming. “I hope Rajini- Allahabad Bank. A year later, entered politics for fame or wide tour. At the same event, kanth’s colour is not saffron Kothari has reportedly not money but only to serve peo- he is expected to announce the because if it is, an alliance is paid back either the interest ICA-383 (17)/2018 ple of the state.” name of the political party he unlikely,” he had said. or the loan. MPOST 2 mp around town MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 DAYINDAYOUT What’s on Around Town NAVRASA DUENDE GLOBAL 8th Theatre Olympics CARNIVAL to take Indian culture to the world Based on the theme of ‘Flag of Friendship’, the 51-day-long nationwide theatre extravaganza was inaugurated by the Vice President of India. The festival aims to bring together over 25,000 artists under one roof A rare combination of holistic OUR CORRESPONDENT entertainment, the Navrasa Duende Global Carnival will have a three-day long medley of arts and entertainment mprinting its name in the global by over 400 performing artists including theatre map, India recently threw 200 top international artists. It will be a the floor open to the 8th Theatre Olympics, the largest theatre fes- soaking experience of almost 100 hours Itival in the world. The event is being of live performances touching upon 20 hosted for the first time in India by the performing arts genres of global arts. National School of Drama, under the WHEN: February 23 – 25 aegis of Ministry of Culture, Government WHERE: JLN Stadium of India. The 51-day-long nationwide the- TIMINGS: 4:30 pm – 10 pm; 10 am – atre extravaganza was inaugurated by the 10 pm (Sat-Sun) Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu, on February 17, at the majestic Red Fort. WORLD ON A PLATTER Dr Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister The world is on a platter, for you of State for Culture (IC), and Theodoros Terzopoulos, Chairman of International to taste! Food, fun and frolic in an Committee of Theatre Olympics, marked International Food Festival, first ever their presence as the guests of honour. in India with all 7 continents on display Among the other esteemed guests and a world bazaar. World on a was the Secretary, Ministry of Culture, platter is opening gates to global Raghvendra Singh, Artistic Director of cuisines, cocktails, culture, decor and 8th Theatre Olympics, Ratan Thiyam, live music. The world is calling for a and Acting Chairman of NSD Society, Dr. unique celebration and you’ve got to Arjun Deo Charan, and Director of NSD be there! Professor Waman Kendre, who along WHEN: February 17 – 18 with many other dignitaries, members of International theatre fraternity and hun- WHERE: Gate no. 2, JLN Stadium dreds of people, witnessed another his- TIMINGS: 11 am onwards tory in making at the lawns of the 17th Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister of state for Culture (I/C), Theodorous Terzopoulos, Chairman International Theatre Olympics Committee and NSD Director Waman Kendre along with other dignitaries beating the ceremonial drum to inaugurate 8th Theatre Olympics 2018 in India at Red Fort on Feb 17, in New Delhi. TRIBUTE TO MIRZA GHALIB century Mughal era fort. To showcase the journey and beautiful “The 8th Theatre Olympics will take Indian culture and heritage to the world ancient times and I hope this Olympiad Theodoros Terzopoulos, Chairman of School of Drama Society thanked all the audience for 51 consecutive days. Plays Banaras through Ghalib’s eye, a film and bring the world to us. Art has the would bring people together to share and International Committee of Theatre theatre enthusiasts and experts for com- will be performed at Agartala, Ahmed- screening is being hosted by Producer power to unite people across the globe. celebrate the unparallel bonding of art- Olympics said, “Through the 8th The- ing to the inauguration ceremony. Speak- abad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, and Director Beenu Rajpoot. ‘Banaras: India believes in the culture of Vasud- ist fraternity.” atre Olympics, we meet the rich theatrical ing further, she said, “Let us form a world Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Ka’aba-e-Hindostan Ghalib’s Ode to haiva Kutumbakam which means the A spectacular musical treat titled tradition of India and we encourage the where the boundaries between individ- Imphal, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Mum- Banaras: Charagh-e-Dair’, a 30-min entire universe is one, which is an integral ‘Geet Rang’ fascinated the audience at articulation of a free and collective voice ual and communities are overlapped, bai, Patna, Thiruvananthapuram and film, is based upon the journey of part of the Indian cultural and theatrical the inaugural ceremony. The programme which will defend the value of the theatre obfuscated, and are mutually agreeable to Varanasi during the festival. Besides, Mirza Ghalib to Banaras while he was tradition,” said Venkaiah Naidu. presented a bouquet of selected songs tradition, research, and experimentation.” exchange one. Long live theatre.” the Theatre Olympics will include 600 on his way from Delhi to Calculate to Speaking on the occasion Mahesh from different theatre forms, traditions, Raghvendra Singh, Secretary, Min- The theme of this edition of Theatre ambiance performances and 250 youth petition with the British for resumption Sharma stated, “Art gives the message of productions, and campaigns in India that istry of Culture, however, feels that the Olympics is “Flag of Friendship” and forum shows alongside thespians from of his royal pension. togetherness, brotherhood, and friend- epitomises importance of music in drama event is bound to take the national the- will bring together over 25,000 artists 30 nations. ship, and portrays social issues to convey and music as a means to elevate, purify atre to another pedestal. under one roof. The event will stage 450 The festival will conclude on April 8, WHEN: February 17 the message to common people. We have and enlighten human beings. Towards the end, Dr Arjun Deo shows from more than 30 countries per- 2018, with a grand ceremony at the iconic WHERE: India Islamic Cultural Centre a rich and diverse theatre tradition since Voicing his opinion on the occasion, Charan, Acting Chairman of National formed across 17 cities, enthralling the Gateway of India in Mumbai. TIMINGS: 6:30 pm onwards ARTIST RITU KAMATH’S EXHIBIT NOOR JAHAN Eminent artist Ritu Kamath presents her Minister of Railways solo show of 40 recent works including three-dimensional canvas works, drawings and mixed media works. She inaugurates the exhibition uses different hues of polycarbonate sheets, hand-cut in different shapes and layered on paper to create a at Lalit Kala Akademy translucent effect. The exhibition is curated by Anoop Kamath. WHEN: February 21 – 27 WHERE: Lalit Kala Akademi TIMINGS: 12 pm – 8 pm BASANT BAZAAR BY DASTKAAR Basant bazaar is one of the three major annual events, with over a 100 craft & natural product stalls. It brings a mix of The evening of February 16 witnessed a special screening of ‘Noor Jahan’ at Lake Mall, Cinepolis, which was attended by the cast and crew of the film and members of media. Noor Jahan is a love story of two established craft groups & NGOs, as young hearts where the makers introduce the new comers-Adrit as Noor and Puja as Jahan. Mentored by Raj well as small artisans coming to Delhi. OUR CORRESPONDENT Chakraborty, who is known for nurturing young talents, Noor Jahan is directed by Abhimanyu Mukherjee. Noor is WHEN: Till February 26 tory itself,” she said. WHERE: Nature Bazaar, Near Last year, Farhat Jamshed a simple ordinary boy with extra-ordinary dreams, whereas Jahan is the successor of deputy of the ruling party. A PIYUSH GOYAL, Minister of held her solo exhibition Instal- heartwarming and touching story of these two characters, Noor Jahan released on February16, which marks the Chattarpur Metro station Railways and Coal, paid a visit lations-17, at the Visual Arts Valentine week. The film has released across Bengal and is reportedly doing well. TIMINGS: 11 am – 7 pm to the art exhibition of mod- Gallery, which was appre- ern art and sculpture at Lalit ciated by Sonal Mansingh, Kala Akademy, on February Padma Vibhushan, iconic cul- 17. Titled ‘Installations-18’, tural personality of India and the exhibition comprises of the Muzaffar Ali, Padma Shri, the phenomenal work by Farhat eminent film maker. Jamshed, one of South Asia’s Many prominent digni- Riviera’18: Audience enthralled by most visceral experimental taries and artists visited the artists. exhibition over the three days. Goyal went around the Farhat Jamshed has over hall, showing interest in each two decades of work in push- display. He also congratulated ing the boundaries of wood, the vibrant display of rich culture the artist for her imaginative metal, clay, and paint, through work and fine installations. her installations, furniture, This exhibit of Installation and paintings. Her latest exhi- OUR CORRESPONDENT 2018 brought together a selec- bition comes after a hiatus tion of Jam- RIVIERA 2018, the annual sports shed’s work in and cultural extravaganza event that abstract wood attracts some of the finest young minds and metal, from all over the world commenced in a three- with a bang on February 15, at VIT in dimensional Vellore. After enthralling the audiences dialogue with on its first day, the festival continued architecture, to present back to back performances, history, visual thereby highlighting the rich cultural design, and heritage of different countries. nature. She Aikya, a commemoration of the uses wood in its most natu- during which she perfected unity in diversity that our nation is ral state, often unpolished, working with wood in its famous for and immensely proud of, uprooted and uncut in con- natural form and it comes was conducted on the second day of junction with neutral colour, in response to the artistic Riviera’18. Aikya was one of the vibrant debris, and metal to create demand of an age influx. displays of grace and power associated “The main goal of Infusion is to upcoming Tamil movie Sagaa. Also, mixed-medium pieces, that She has previously exhib- with Indian culture. motivate students from all over the Khalbali, the street play was conducted invite the audience to think ited her works in Delhi and The event offered an important world to form strong cross-culture by the students where they portrayed of interior space as more than Mumbai. platform for the performers as well as relationships, which would help the social problems through a creative walls. Over the last twenty an opportunity to spread awareness students improve their cultural aware- medium. Hindi was used as the lan- Farhat Jamshed feels years, she has created hun- about varied cultures of Indian states. ness on a global scale,” Said Ujjawal guage of conversation throughout the Installation art is more like dreds of art works, inspired A key aspect of any culture is the Surana, student organizer of Infusion. play. architecture than painting. by zeitgeist and her trav- clothing associated with it, and stu- Krishna Radhakrishnan, Presi- The ‘Spokesperson’ event was also “Painting is documentation. els across Asia and Europe dents of VIT went up and above in dent, Women Entrepreneur’s Welfare conducted to develop and improve the Installations, like buildings, and follows the traditions this regard, by dressing up in amaz- Association, Tamil Nadu graced the oration skills of students. are monuments to our ideas, of Constructivism and new ing vibrant colours. occasion as chief guest for the event. What’s interesting to note is that conflicts, and achievements, Movements in Installations Another special highlight was ‘Infu- Apart from cultural performances, students from around 29 countries as a society. It is not the docu- and immersive experiments sion’, an International exhibit of cultures a workshop on Global Skills was con- have worked to put on a graceful dis- mentation of history, but his- and modern art. around the world, which was con- ducted during the event. It was graced play of the diverse cultures that exist ducted on the third day of the festival. by the presence of the team from the around the world. 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“MILLENNIUM POST”, Printed & Published by Jaiyendra Kumar Sharma on behalf of Front Row Media Pvt. Ltd. and printed at Aaj Kaal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., BP-7, Sector-V, Bidhan Nagar, Kolkata - 700 091 and published from Tivoli Court 1A, Ballygunge Circular Road, Block-A, Flat-94, 1st Floor, Kolkata-700 019. Editor: Durbar Ganguly, Executive Editor: Arya Rudra. Email: [email protected], [email protected]. For marketing, contact: 9836292306, 9830532306. For editorial, call: 9836072100 city 3 MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 mp WBSU set to introduce Jharnadhara project to Chinese, Korean courses SOUMITRA NANDI of starting courses in these The move will be foreign languages. There have mitigate water woes in hills KOLKATA: The West Ben- been a number of complaints a stride towards gal State University (WBSU) is regarding WBSU’s delay in OUR CORRESPONDENT It may be mentioned here people learn to avoid using planning to introduce a short- alternative publication of results and other that the department has also the river water to clean spray term course in Chinese and employment for irregularities in academics. KOLKATA: The Bengal gov- chalked out a detailed plan to machines after using them for Korean language from this aca- “We will be having our sec- ernment is planning to launch augment fish production in pest control purposes. demic year, which the varsity the students ond convocation on February “Jharnadhara Water Project” in North Bengal, where piscicul- It has been learnt that feels will be a stride towards 25 and Padmanabhan Balaram, North Bengal, to mitigate water ture could not be done on a around 6,000 tonnes of fish is alternative employment for the and had found that most of the former director of Indian Insti- crisis in the hills. large scale. The state Fisher- currently procured in Jalpai- students. people in the country are very tute of Science, will be the chief The North Bengal Devel- ies department is also procur- guri and Alipurduar districts “We have done a survey and weak in English. A teacher for guest,” Chaudhuri said. opment department has been ing the most advanced satellite annually. have found out that if English Korean language has already WBSU is also roping in chalking out elaborate plans to images, through which the A senior official of the and Chinese or English and been roped in, while the search eminent scientists, philoso- address the water crisis issue department officials will be able North Bengal Development Korean can be taught side by for a Chinese teacher is on. “We phers and scholars from across that the hill areas have been to assess the condition of vari- department said that fish pro- side, there is great scope for are in talks with the Chinese the globe, for delivering lec- facing for a long time. Once ous waterbodies in the hills and curement in North Bengal procuring job as ambassadors Consulate in Kolkata in this tures to motivate the students. the project gets started, the also across the state. has comparatively been low in China and Korea. We want regard,” Chaudhuri said. There are as many as 30 hills and various other parts a thorough survey is conducted long time. After carrying out a Fishlings have been put and hence, several steps have to tap this opportunity and for Separate workshops have departments in the university of North Bengal will benefit in this regard. Study would be thorough study, a detailed proj- into different ponds across been taken to boost piscicul- this, we are planning to intro- been held in both Chinese and and all the traditional subjects immensely from the project. done on how fountain water ect report would be prepared in North Bengal and also in riv- ture there. They have been dis- duce certificate or diploma Korean languages in the varsity taught in Calcutta University According to an official of could be treated in plants to this regard, on how to imple- ers like Teesta, Torsha, Kalijani, tributing free food for feeding courses in both languages,” and the students have shown a are being taught in WBSU the North Bengal Develop- produce drinking water on a ment the project and how it Karla, Jaldhaka, Sankosh and small fishes. Fish farmers are WBSU vice-chancellor Basab lot of interest in them. The head as well. 46 colleges in North ment department, the project large scale. would cost the government. others. Awareness campaigns being provided training on how Chaudhuri said. of the department of English 24-Parganas are affiliated to is at the initial level of plan- The hill areas have been fac- The viability of the project will have been started in local areas to apply scientific methods to It has been learnt that has been given the responsi- WBSU and there are as many ning. It would be adopted after ing an acute crisis of water for a also be looked into. where tea gardens exist, so that cultivate fish. Chaudhuri had visited Korea bility to speed up the process as 1.5 lakh students. Finance dept to scrutinise Central KMC to convert 9 slums into ‘model bustees’ SOUMITRA NANDI the Lake Gardens area, ward 77 funds in meet at Nabanna in Kidderpore area and another KOLKATA: The Kolkata at ward 13, have been ear- Municipal Corporation (KMC) marked for transformation into OUR CORRESPONDENT The special meeting will official of the Finance depart- will convert nine slums in the model bustees. Work for devel- be held from 11 am to 5 pm ment said. city into ‘model slums’, to oping Dharbagan and Cocola KOLKATA: The state Finance and the departments that have It may be mentioned that on ensure that people in these slums have already begun. department has called an emer- been asked to be present in the February 6, state Chief Secre- areas get basic civic amenities. It may be mentioned that gency meeting at the state meeting, include Agriculture, tary Malay De had held a meet- The civic body has set a time KMC has recently developed a secretariat Nabanna on Mon- Agriculture Marketing, Ani- ing with various departments, frame of two years for the proj- slum at Khanaberia, located at day, to take stock of scheme- mal Resources Development, to take stock of the status of ect, which will be undertaken the farthest corner of Dhapa. wise receipt of Central funds, Fisheries, Forest, Coopera- work of the Centre-sponsored through funds from the state “There was an earthen road expenditure thereof and utili- tion, Consumer Affairs, Tribal schemes under them and the Municipal Affairs department. and people used to drink pond sation status with each of the Development, Women and account of funds. Discussions “The concept of model water. There were neither lights departments. Child Development, Health were held on the amount of slums is the first in the coun- nor toilets in majority of the It may be mentioned that as and Family Welfare, Irrigation, fund utilised till December try and Kolkata will be the houses. We have rejuvenated it many as 31 departments have Home, Food and Food Sup- 31 and the estimated unspent torch-bearer in this matter,” completely. Now there is drink- been asked to attend the meet- plies, Minority, School Educa- amount. said Swapan Sammadar, Mem- ing water, LED lights and toilet ing and the time of the meeting tion, Higher Education, Land According to sources in ber, Mayor-in-Council (Bustee in every single slum house,” the with each of the departments and Land Reforms, Labour, Nabanna, the report will give a Development). official said. has been communicated well Housing, Sports, PWD, Urban clear picture about the alloca- The first bustee that will be According to Samaddar, in advance. Development and Municipal tion of less amount of funds by developed as a model slum, development of a model bustee The departments have been Affairs, among others. the Centre, which in turn will will be Hatgachia bustee situ- cannot be achieved overnight, urged to depute nodal officers “The financial year is help in campaigning against ated in the Dhapa area. 80 per- as it needs extensive awareness in charge of these schemes, also coming to an end and the BJP, ahead of the upcom- cent of development work in water, drainage system and toi- of renovating the same. he added. among the dwellers regard- along with their respective the departments have been ing panchayat polls in the state. the bustee has already been let at every house and lighting It may be mentioned that According to sources in ing cleanliness, fire security, financial advisers, for the meet- directed to prepare a detailed Chief Minister Mamata completed. facilities. However, we will cre- Hatgachia bustee will also have KMC, the other slums that will etc. among many other things. ing. The meeting will also take account about the total fund Banerjee, have on several “Our basic aim is improve- ate additional infrastructure, a children’s park, community be developed as model slums, “The change in mindset of the into account the state share received, the amount spent, occasions, slammed the Cen- ment in the socio-economic wherever there is availability of hall, primary school, health are Dharbagan in Rajabazar, dwellers is of utmost impor- released for several schemes, as what remains unutilised in the tre for reducing the share of condition of these slums. The space,” Samaddar said. centre and playground. “Work Miyabagan in Beleghata, Coc- tance,” he said. there are a number of schemes last three months, as well as their fully-sponsored schemes, purpose of the concept of If there is a waterbody in for the roads is going on now ola in Parnasree, Behala and According to KMC sources, which function with both state the balance fund expected by as well as withdrawing a few model bustee is to ensure basic the slum, then the civic body and we hope that it will take Panchanantala in Dhakuria. there is a total of 4,000 slums and Central funds. the end of this fiscal,” a senior schemes. civic amenities like drinking will also take the responsibility another three to four months,” A bustee under ward 93 in in the city.

In the presence of Mamata Bandyopadhyay Hon’ble Chief Minister Inauguration of a cluster of projects, laying of foundation stones and providing services

Inauguration Providing Services

Altogether 4 Sub-Stations in Kandi Domkal, Bharatpur-I and Raninagar-I Blocks • Additional Class-rooms: 1230 in Sishu Siksha Kendras, 289 in Madhyamik Siksha Kendras, 190 in various school and madrasahs in the different Blocks of the district Laying of Foundation Stones • 508 Anganwadi Centres in the different Blocks of the district • Up gradation to Kanyashree • Laptops for Kanyashree girls • Sikshashree • the status of Sishu Aalaya of the 200 Anganwadi Centres of the Murshiabad dis- Yubashree • Sabujsathi • Sabujshree • Swasthyasathi • Gatidhara • trict • Altogether 5 Karmatirthas in the different Blocks of the district • Newly- Jaladhara • Gitanjali • Banglar Abas Jojona • Swami Vivekananda Swanirbhar Karmasansthan Prakalpa • built buildings of 3 Municipal Primary Health Centres and development of 5 Primary Kisan Credit Card • Soil Health Card• Krishi Patta • Nija Griha Nija Bhumi • Refugee Rehabilitation Patta • Health Centres in the different Blocks of the district • 1 Primary Health Centre in Briksha Patta • Dhamsa and Madal • SCP • Assistance for education • Term Assistance • Rehabilitation for Azimganj-Jiaganj Municipality • 27 solar energy-driven arsenic-free drinking water the helpless women belonging to the minority communities • Women Empowerment Scheme for the mi- • 1000 Anganwadi Centres in different Blocks of the district • 104 new roads in supply project in 3 Blocks of the district • Drinking water supply project in Farakka, nority communities • Assistance for the women of Self Help Groups belonging to the minority communities different Blocks of the district • Renovation and up gradation of 5 roads in different Samserganj and Suti-II Blocks • Altogether 197 new roads and some rural roads in • Helmet • Samajik Suraksha Jojona • Hatchery • Computers for the Community Cooperatives • Pulse Mill Blocks of the district • Altogether 3 Sub-Stations in Bharatpur-II and Baharampur the different Blocks of the district • Altogether 18 roads and repair of 6 rural roads • Recurring Fund • CIF & CC Loan • Banglar Bishes Bhata Prakalpa • New Handloom and Equipments for • 5 two-storeyed Karmatirthas in different Blocks of the district • 14 flood-shelters in the different Blocks of the district • Footpath along both sides of the Kazi Nazrul the Weavers • Tubular and bamboo-made Green Houses • Vermi compost Unit • Retainer Fee • Pension • at different mouzas in Kandi Block • Shop for refugee hawkers in Baharampur Islam Sarani by the bank of the Ganges in Baharampur Municipality Area • Renova- Identity Cards for the Artiste • Mavoi • Multi crop Planter • Tractor • Electric Motor • Sprayer • Power Tiller• Municipality area • Altogether 4 Boys’ Hostels in Bhagawangola-II, Bharatpur-II, Fish preserving box and cycles for the fishermen • Dwelling House for the fishermen belonging to the Tribal tion of Baharampur Stadium in Baharampur Block • Project for resisting erosion Raghunathganj-I and Nawda Blocks • 50 watch-towers for disaster management of the Padma River towards the downstream of Farakka Barrage at Suryanagar communities • Amar Dhan Amar Chatal • Amar Fasal Amar Gola • Amar Fasal Amar Gari • Assistance for at different Blocks of the district • Project to check erosion of river bank in the the Self Help Groups • Cooperative Kisan Credit Card • Assistance for making Cocoon-House • Assistance under Sagarpara Gram Panchayat in Jalangi Block • Renovation of Murshidabad downstream of Farakka Barrage at Raninagar-II and Jalangi Blocks • Project for District Museum in Murshidabad-Jiaganj Block • Clustered Tube-Well Projects in for making Vermi compost • protection of embankment of river Bhagirathi at three places of Jangipur munici- Raghunathganj-I, Suti-I and Kandi Blocks • Reinforcement of river banks of the pality and Murshidabad-Jiaganj Block • Rural Haat Shed in at Nawda Block • 18 Bhaghirathi, Dwaraka and Bhairab rivers • Box-Culverts: 1 in Baharampur Block solar hybrid clustered tube-wells at different places of Suti-I Block • Bridge over and 3 in Bharatpur-I Block • Altogether 5 Godowns in Nabagram, Murshidabad- the Falgu river and adjacent road in Suti-II Block • Two-storeyed school building at Dignitaries to be present Jiaganj, Sagardighi, Raghunathganj-I and Burwan Blocks • Domkal Fire and Emer - Baharampur Mahakali Pathsala • Fire and Emergecy Service Centre at Beldanga gency Services Centre • Girls’ Hostel at Madrasah Alia Anantapur High Madrasah Municipality area • Sajal Dhara Project at different places of Jalangi Block and and Sankarpur High Madrasah in Nabagram Block • Libraries in different Blocks supply of solar electricity to BSF out-post near Sarkarpara area • Student hos- Janab Firhad Hakim, Hon’ble Minister, Government of West Bengal of the district • New Building of Baharampur Police Station • Charkamari Bridge tels at Beldanga-II Takipur High Madrasah and Jalangi Mahavidyalaya at Jalangi in Jalangi Block • Sub-Health Centres in different Blocks of the district • Bound Janab Jakir Hossain, Hon’ble Minister, Government of West Bengal - block • Student hostel at High Madrasah in Bhagawangola-II Block • 16 infra- ary wall at Motijheel in Murshidabad-Jiaganj Block • Nazirpur-Paraypur Road structure development projects for Mahalandi colony at Kandi block • Illumina- Shri Indranil Sen, Hon’ble Minister, Government of West Bengal and Bridge in Suti-I Block • Krishi Bhavan in Beldanga-I Block • Market Place at tion of roads at Kandi Municipality area • Provision of high mast lamp-posts and Mankar in Baharampur Block • Electric Supply Centre in Jangipur Sub-Divisional Shri Baidyanatah Das, Hon’ble Sabhadhipati lights at 21 wards of Domkal Municipality • Boundary wall at Baharampur ITI • Hospital in Raghunathganj-I Block • Girls’ Hostel in Chhabghati Kshudiram Das Parking lot at Motijheel in Murshidabad-Jiaganj Municipality • Extension and up Janab Amirul Islam, Hon’ble MLA Vidyalaya (H.S.) in Suti-II Block • Offices of the Assistant Director of Agriculture in gradation of power supply station at Kandi Sub-divisional hospital • New build- Raghunathganj-II and Bhagawan Gola-II Block • Illumination by trident lamp posts Shri Subrata Saha, Hon’ble MLA ing of Baharampur District Statistics and Planning Office • Shelter for vagrants in and LED lamps in Baharampur Municipality Area • Electrification in the different Baharampur Municipality area • Raninagar Dak-bungalow Community Hall and Janab Niyamat Seikh, Hon’ble MLA Wards of the Domkal Municipality • Altogether 4 Sangha Bhavans in Raninagar-I, Library at Raninagar-II Block • Up gradation of embankment at right side of the Jalangi and Domkal Blocks • Additional Class-rooms of 2 Ashram Boys’ Hostels, Janab Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, Hon’ble MLA Brahamani river at Namu-Jadavpur village in Khargram Block • New branches of renovation of 2 Ashram Boys’ Hostels, repair of boundary wall of 1 Boys’ Hostel in bank(s) at bankless gram panchayats in Beldanga-I & II, Bharatpur-I, Samserganj, Janab Soumik Hossain, Chairman, Domkal Municipality Khargram and Nabagram Blocks and Boys’ Hostel at Shrikrisnapur High School in Raninagar-II, Kandi, Murshidabad-Jiaganj, Khargram, and Baharampur Blocks • Kandi Block • Tourist Centre near Bahura Ghat in Raghunathganj-II Block • Office Shri Nilratan Adhya, Hon’ble Chairman, Baharampore Corporation Additional rooms for three ashram-hostels and reconstruction of 1 student hostel of the Block Land and Land Reforms Officer in Beldanga-II Block and office of the in Khargram and Sagardighi Blocks • Spy-cams at 21 wards under Domkal Mu- Shri Imani Biswas, Board Member, Regional Transport Board, Murshidabad Sub-divisional Land and Land Reforms Officer at Lalbag in Murshidabad-Jiaganj nicipality • Environment Tourism Centre at Raghunathganj-II Block • Boundary Block • Waiting Rooms in 4 Hospitals in the different Blocks of the District and in wall, plantation of trees and beautification for Green City Mission under Jangipur Murshidabad Medical College • Room for Oxygen Supply in the LMO Tank Ward in Municipality • Extension of the office of Block Land and Land Reforms Department Baharampur Municipality • 100 shed-net houses for vegetable farming in different under Baharampur Municipality Blocks of the district • Construction and Repair of Silk Production Centre and Cold 19 February • 2018 Venue : Stadium Ground, Storage in Baharampur Block • Waiting Room and Store Room in the different Ferry Ghats of Jangipur and Lalbag Sub-Division • River Water Lifting Project at Diar Baharampur, Murshidabad | Time: 2p.m. Balagachhi and Char Sitesh Nagar in Sagardighi Block • Extension of additional rooms, water supply and electrification of the OBC Central Boys’ Hostel of Prof. Nu- rul Hasan College in Farakka Block • New ATM in Baharampur Municipality Area and new branches of the Bank in 5 Blocks of the district ICA - 384(18)/2018 Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, Government of West Bengal 4 city mp MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata |Monday, 19 February, 2018 One held in Medical aspirants Kharagpur cyber Shibpur IIEST student killed, 3 others in a fix over CBSE crime case OUR CORRESPONDENT injured after cab rams into divider KOLKATA: The cyber crime notification wing of Howrah City Police in the wee hours on Sunday OUR CORRESPONDENT works as a child specialist at a arrested a youth from Kharag- government hospital in Nadia. pur on charges of superimpos- KOLKATA: A student of Shib- The family members of the ing faces of some teenage girls pur IIEST was killed and three victim expressed their disap- with pornographic images and others from the same institu- pointment over the way he was videos at Jagacha in Howrah. tion suffered critical injuries shifted from the state run med- The accused Dipayan Chow- when the cab they were travel- ical college in the city. dhury was produced at How- ling in rammed into a divider According to the victim’s rah court and was remanded to on EM Bypass on Sunday father, who is also a doc- four-day police custody. morning. tor by profession, a doctor The driver of the cab also does not have rights to prac- Investigations have sustained injuries and is under- tice in a hospital if he/she going treatment at Calcutta fails to treat a critical patient revealed that the National Medical College and in emergency. accused was using Hospital (CNMCH). Shibpur IIEST Director The students who were Ajoy Kumar Roy also expressed a SIM card of a reportedly studying MSC his concern over the infrastruc- foreign country for Physics in the institution were ture of CNMCH, He said hos- The matter has also created a flutter on going to Rajarhat to appear for pital emergency must have the social media as many of these aspirants carrying out this an examination. On their way, infrastructure so that critical activity the cab they were travelling in patients can be given primary have become vocal against the decision met with a fatal road accident at treatment. of CBSE, which they have claimed to be around 7 am, police said. In a separate accident, a The sleuths had taken The deceased has been middle-aged man died after in ‘utter violence’ of MCI norms up the investigation on the identified as Sayantan Biswas Three other injured students speed. Bypass from Maa flyover. being hit by a motorcycle while basis of complaints of black- who along with three of his have been undergoing treat- Due to the intensity of the Police also suspect that crossing the road near Science OUR CORRESPONDENT ated a flutter on social media mailing lodged by four col- classmates were rushed to ment at a private hospital while accident, the air bags of the car the driver fell asleep before City on Sunday afternoon. as many of these aspirants have lege students who had alleged CNMCH. the driver has been admitted to came out saving the lives of the the accident took place. Four Police said the victim whose KOLKATA: Medical aspirants become vocal against the deci- that their faces were super- It was alleged that Biswas CNMCH. driver and another student who students and the driver were identity is yet to be ascertained in Bengal who are supposed to sion of CBSE, which they have imposed with pornographic who suffered critical injuries in It was learnt that the driver was sitting in front beside the immediately rushed to the hos- was declared brought dead by appear for the National Eligibil- claimed to be in ‘utter violence’ images and videos, which were his head was denied admission had fallen asleep. When he driver. pital by the police and locals. the hospital. A boy and a girl ity cum Entrance Test (NEET) of MCI norms. being circulated through due to unavailability of doctors opened his eyes the car almost According to preliminary The deceased was sitting on the who were on the bike also scheduled to take place on May They also alleged that CBSE whatsapp at the emergency department. rammed into the divider. investigation, it seems the rear seat of the vehicle when the received serious injuries in the 6, are confused after the Cen- has misinterpreted the MCI Investigations have revealed Biswas was declared He applied a sudden brake driver of the speeding cab from cab crashed. accident. Another road acci- tral Board of Secondary Edu- norms. that the accused was using a brought dead after being taken but failed to avert the acci- an app-based service provider Biswas was originally from dent that occurred in Kulti cation (CBSE) on 14 February If CBSE abides by the pro- sim of a foreign country for to a private hospital in the city. dent as the vehicle was at a top lost control soon after it hit EM Nadia’s Tehatta whose father killed two persons. issued a notification which is posed method, at least 30,000 carrying out this activity. The contrary to that of Medical medical aspirants in the state photos of the girls were taken Council of India (MCI). will not be able to appear for from their Facebook page and Fire breaks Like in previous years, the the medical entrance examina- then their faces were super- Family members ransack nursing CBSE has been assigned to hold tion this year. Many of the SC/ imposed with pornographic the NEET examination. In an ST/OBC candidates will also be images. “This is for the first out at factory earlier notification, the MCI, deprived due to the decision of time in the state when a for- which is the highest regulating the CBSE. eign sim card has been used for home in Burdwan after patient’s death in Beliaghata, body said students appearing The students also demanded blackmailing. for the NEET have to secure that it should immediately He is pursuing a course in OUR CORRESPONDENT morning. fic congestion on the busy 50 percent marks altogether evoke the notification as it has multimedia and is an expert Locals put up a As the news of the road. A huge contingent none injured in the three subjects - Physics, been done in contrary to MCI’s in Photoshop” a senior official KOLKATA: The relatives of patient’s death reached his of police rushed to the Chemistry and Biology in class norms. of Howrah City Police said. a patient who died of alleged road blockade village, people in large num- spot to bring the situation OUR CORRESPONDENT 12 examinations. Dr A K Maity, an expert It was in October last year medical negligence by a pri- on GT Road on ber started pouring into under control. But the recent notification in the field of medical educa- when Howrah City Police had vate nursing home in Burd- the nursing home. A quarrel broke out KOLKATA: A fire broke out issued by the CBSE contra- tion in the state said: “CBSE arrested a resident of Gopia- wan ransacked some portions Sunday morning to They brought stones, iron between the police and agita- inside a plywood factory on dicted the MCI notice saying has misinterpreted MCI norms ballavpur in West Midnapore of the nursing home on Sun- protest against the rods with them and went on tors when the latter refused to Suren Sarkar road in Beliaghata that a candidate willing to take and its has not only created a district for similar charges. day morning triggering tension ransacking a portion of the lift the road blockade. Accord- on Sunday afternoon. The inci- the NEET have to secure 50 confusion among the medi- He was living on rent in in the area. incident nursing home. ing to local sources, police dent triggered tension among percent marks in each of these cal aspirants in the state but Sarat Pally area in Domjur and The victim, Sumit Some of the staff mem- resorted to lathi charge to dis- locals as it is situated in a con- three subjects. One who fails to also from across the country. coincidentally that time too Thakur, a resident of Natun- in his appendix. The doc- bers of the nursing home were perse the mob. gested area. Some locals spot- obtain 50 percent marks in each The CBSE must act promptly the victims were from Jaga- gunge Pashikhana area of tors on Friday performed also allegedly beaten up by the The family members of the ted smoke billowing out of the subject of these 3 subjects in and do necessary corrections cha and its adjacent areas. The Burdwan was first taken to a surgery. family members of the victim. deceased demanded the arrest factory and informed the mat- class 12 examination will not be in this regard.” accused was pursuing his final CT Nursing home in Nabab- The family members alleged Furniture, television and other of the nursing home owner. ter to the fire brigade. None allowed to appear for the NEET Dr Maity also added that year course in multimedia. As hat area after he complained of that the doctors performed the utensils of the nursing home The nursing home author- was reportedly injured in the examination this year. some renowned doctors from many as 20 girls had bore the abdominal pain. But his condi- surgery without informing the reception were damaged dur- ities, however, denied any incident. This had triggered con- across the country will soon brunt of the cyber fraud. tion deteriorated since Satur- family members. ing the incident. negligence on the part of the The incident took place a fusion among the 75,000 write to the Prime Minister “We are examining the day night. They also alleged that Locals put up a road hospital. little after 12 pm on Sunday. odd medical aspirants in the and the Union Health Minis- details of the earlier case to find After his admis- the patient was shifted blockade on GT Road on Police have started a Altogether six fire tenders were state who will appear for the ter seeking their intervention out whether there is any link sion, the doctors at the to Nurdwan Medical Sunday morning to protest detailed probe in this regard. pressed into action to douse examination. as the matter is of paramount between them,” an investigat- nursing home said the patient College and Hospital after against the incident. None has been arrested so far the flames. Fire fighters tried to The matter has also cre- importance. ing officer said. had been suffering pain the patient died on Sunday The incident led to traf- in this connection. check the spread of the fire to the adjoining areas. They had BRINGING IN CHANGE difficulties in identifying the source of the fire as the area was Bombs hurled, 1 shot at filled with thick black smoke. Locals tried to douse the flames but they failed to do so near Motijheel bustee as the fire quickly spread to the other portions of the fac- tory. According to preliminary OUR CORRESPONDENT investigation, fire officials sus- Police have started pect that a huge amount of KOLKATA: Panic spread a detailed probe in inflammable materials were among locals after some mis- stored inside the factory as a creants hurled bombs on the this regard. None result of which the situation road near Motijheel bustee area has been arrested aggravated. The workers who under the Entally police station were inside the factory at the on late Saturday night. in this connection time of the fire were safely Police said one Tipu and removed. Police cordoned off his gang members were hurl- pect that the miscreants were the entire area and the traffic ing bombs on road to terrorise passing through the area and movement was restricted to people. But none of the bombs were trying to terrorise locals. check any untoward incident. exploded. A taxi driver, who Police are not, however, The fire fighters brought the was sitting inside his parked ruling out the possibility that fire under control within two vehicle, was shot at by one of the accused had assembled at hours. Some of the locals also the miscreants when he pro- the area for a gang war. By the took part in the rescue opera- tested against the incident. CCTV footages, the investi- tion. People living in the adja- The taxi driver, identified gators also came to know that cent areas were taken to a safer as Md Arzu was immediately some of the accused were car- place by the police. The fire offi- rushed to NRS Medical Col- rying bombs in their hands cials and police said that there lege and Hospital with a bullet while one accused was carry- was no adequate fire fighting injury in his abdomen. Accord- ing a gun. mechanism in the factory. A ing to the hospital sources, the Police have started a detailed probe has been initi- condition of the victim is still detailed probe in this regard. ated. The exact cause of the fire MLA Suvendu Adhikari at the Annual General Meeting of the Motor Vehicles Enforcement Officers’ Association MPOST critical. According to prelimi- None has been arrested in this and the extent of the damage nary investigation, police sus- connection so far. ate yet to be ascertained. State mulls including AYUSH National Teachers Eligibility cyber crime studies in HS syllabus test mandatory for lecturers now OUR CORRESPONDENT hha and Homeopathy (Ayush) presently in the post of lecturers OUR CORRESPONDENT nology (IT) department has a has issued an order to the Secre- will have to appear for the Ayush centre of excellence, Debashis KOLKATA: Those who are inter- tary of CCIM saying that Ayush National Teachers Eligibility Test KOLKATA: The senior offi- Sen, additional chief secretary ested in applying to the post of teachers have to take the National for their promotion to the post cials of state Information Tech- in charge of IT department lecturers in any of Ayush Medi- Teachers Eligibility Test while of Readers. nology and Higher Education will sit with Shukla to discuss cal Colleges now have to appear the admission of students at the Earlier, there was no such eli- departments will discuss about about the syllabus that will be for Ayush National Teachers Eli- undergraduate level of Ayush gibility test for those candidates the syllabus that will be fol- taught to the students. Baner- gibility Test as it has been made courses would be done on the who wanted to become a teacher lowed to train students to pre- jee wants that cyber crime mandatory by the Centre from basis of the National Eligibility in any of the Ayush institution. vent cyber crime. should be prevented and to the current academic year. cum Entrance Test (NEET). As a result, the recruitment Chief Minister Mamata do that more and more peo- A nationwide examination, It can be mentioned that of teachers used to depend on Banerjee during the adminis- ple should have the knowledge Ayush National Teachers Eligi- all the educational institu- the management of a particular trative review meeting held in and training. bility Test will be conducted from tions under Ayush must admit institution. There had been alle- Jhargram on This can be achieved if it is 2018-19 academic sessions for candidates through NEET. gations of favouritism while in Friday had urged RS included in the syllabus of the the appointment of all teachers For all system of Ayush, min- some cases the candidates alleg- Shukla, additional chief secre- higher secondary level so that in Ayush institutions and unique imum 50 percentile should edly had to pay a huge amount tary in charge of Higher Edu- the students who are interested verification codes for such teach- be obtained by a candidate to of money in order to become a cation department to include in the subject can pursue it at ers shall be allotted by the Cen- qualify in the test. teacher. cyber crime in the syllabus to the under graduate and later at tral Council of Homeopathy Many believe that the intro- It also said that Aadhar based train the students and this will the post graduate level. (CCH) or the Central Council of duction of a nationwide screen- Geo-location enabled attendance help them to fetch jobs as cyber The date of the meeting Indian Medicine (CCIM) before ing examination will bring more system for teaching staff, non- crime is on the rise throughout between the senior officials of their appointment. transparency in the recruitment teaching/hospital staff and PG Mayor Sovan Chatterjee at a meeting at Ghatokpukur High School, accompanied by local TMC the globe. It has been decided the two departments is yet to The Ministry of Ayurveda, of teachers in Ayush institutions. students would also be intro- leaders like Rezzak Molla, Arabul Islam and Kaiser Ahmed MPOST that as the Information Tech- be finalised. Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Sid- For existing teachers who are duced to fix their accountability. nation 5 MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 mp KVIC achieves over 76% polling in Tripura assembly polls 100% subsidy target OUR CORRESPONDENT rapidly expanding its foot- Your 5-point cheatsheet: print in the northeast, with AGARTALA/NEW DELHI: At »»Altogether 292 candidates, including 23 women, the party already in power in least 76 per cent of over 25.73 were in fray for 59 of the state’s 60 seats Assam, Manipur and Arunachal lakh voters exercised their fran- Pradesh, has forged an alliance chise for the Assembly polls on »»The EC said 12 ballot units were replaced and with Indigenous People’s Front Sunday in Tripura, where the many of the complaints were found to be false of Tripura (IPFT), an anti-Left BJP is trying to dislodge the Left party. The BJP has fielded can- Front after an unbroken 25-year »»The CPM fielded candidates on 57 seats, leaving didates in 51 places, while its stint in power, officials said. one each for its allies. The BJP contested 51 seats, ally is contesting the remain- The polling for 59 seats of leaving 9 for the IPFT. The Congress is contesting in ing nine seats. the 60-member Assembly was all but one seat PM Modi and BJP chief peaceful with thousands of cen- Amit Shah spearheaded the tral paramilitary forces fanning People stand in a queue to cast their votes during Tripura Assembly »»Election in Charilam, which was postponed after BJP-IPFT challenge in one of across the northeastern state. elections in Agartala on Sunday PTI the death of CPM candidate Ramendra Narayan the last bastions of the Left. There were reports of mal- Debbarma, will be held on March 12 Sarkar, known for leading a functioning of Electronic Vot- poll watchdog had put the fig- pm, the time for the voting to frugal life and the considered ing Machines (EVMs) at some ures at 74 per cent. conclude. Under the electoral »»Elections will be held in Meghalaya and Mizoram the “poorest” of chief ministers OUR CORRESPONDENT polling stations which were rec- In the last Assembly elec- laws, voters standing in queue on February 27. Results for all three northeastern in the country, almost single- The maximum and tified. Polling could not be held tions, the voter turnout was at the scheduled time for vot- states will be declared on March 3 handedly tried to defend his NEW DELHI: The Khadi minimum costs in the Charilam constituency recorded at 91.82 per cent, while ing to conclude are allowed to ‘Red fort’ against the saffron and Village Industries Com- due to the death of CPI(M) can- in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, it exercise their franchise. could not properly connect the most enduring icons of the challenge. Inspector General mission (KVIC) has achieved for generating didate Ramendra Narayan Deb was 84.32 per cent, Deputy Elec- Additional CEO Tapas Roy the EVMs. Technicians were CPI(M), has helmed the state of Police (Law and Order) K more than 100 per cent target unit employment Barma last week. The constitu- tion Commissioner Sudip Jain said in Agartala initially there rushed in to these placed and for the last four terms. V Srijesh said the voting was of subsidy in 2016-17 allotted were Rs 2,65,412 ency will go to polls on March told reporters in the national were problems with several EVMs set right. The Congress, which has “incident free” and no violence for implementation of Prime 12. capital. EVM machines which were The BJP, hitherto an “also been marginalised in Tripura, was reported from anywhere. Minister Employment Gener- (Nagaland) and Rs The Election Commis- He said two crude bombs fixed. Earlier in the day, Chief ran” in the border state, has was last in power between Feb- While 300 companies of cen- ation Program (PMEGP), an 25,070 (TN), sion said in New Delhi the were detected and disposed of Electoral Officer Sriram Tara- emerged as the key challenger ruary 1988 and March 1993. It is tral armed forces were deployed, independent report said. updated polling percentage by security personnel. nikanti had said voting was to the CPI(M)-led Left Front, contesting 59 seats and had not besides the state police, the BSF The report said, “While in was complied from 41 of the The voter turnout is likely delayed in some polling booths which has remained unvan- fielded candidate for Kakrabon kept heightened vigil along the 2008-09, the utilization of total ries was 36.8 years and 42.39 59 constituencies. to rise as long queues were seen of West Tripura, Khowai and quished in the last five Assembly constituency. 856-km-long India-Bangladesh subsidy allotted by the Ministry per cent of them were from SC, At its briefing earlier, the at polling stations even after 4 Unakoti districts as officials elections. Manik Sarkar, one of The BJP, which has been border in Tripura. of Micro, Small and Medium ST and OBC categories, besides Enterprises (MSME) for 5.8 per cent of minorities and ESCAPE OF LET TERRORIST implementation of Prime Min- 10 per cent women. ister Employment Genera- “The maximum and mini- Two cops killed in encounter tion Program (PMEGP) was mum costs for generating unit less than 50 per cent, in 2016- employment were Rs 2,65,412 Probe: JK Home dept ignored warnings 17 – it even crossed the 100 (Nagaland) and Rs 25,070 with Naxals in Chhattisgarh per cent mark, i.e. 100.37 (Tamil Nadu),” the report said. SUMIR KAUL Kashmir division” on Novem- been easily booked under the percent.” “With 53 per cent and ber 19, 2016. Public Safety Act and lodged OUR CORRESPONDENT The report prepared by 45 per cent of beneficiaries SRINAGAR: Investigations After the High court order, again in a jail outside the Kash- Gurugram-based Management involved in manufacturing and into the escape of dreaded Lash- the state home department mir Valley. RAIPUR: Two policemen were Naxal gunned down by SF Development Institute said, services respectively, collateral kar-e-Taiba terrorist Moham- issued a stand alone order “The second course that killed and six others injured in “Nearly 4 lakh new employ- taken by the banks over and med Naveed Jhatt from a busy dated January 27, 2017 direct- could have been taken was a gun-battle with the Naxals in RAIPUR: A Naxal was on Inspector General of Police ments were generated, with an above hypothecation of assets hospital has brought to the fore ing for compliance of the to challenge the single bench Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district Sunday gunned down in an (South Bastar range) Sundar- estimated project cost of Rs by banks were recorded 46 per lapses at different stages, espe- direction of the High court order of the high court and rea- on Sunday, a top official said. encounter with security forces raj P said. 4,800 crore, which is a huge cent and 54 per cent respec- cially the failure of the pros- and shifting Jhatt, a Pakistani son out that he (Jhatt) should be The encounter took place in in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma dis- The exchange of fire broke growth of approximately 24 tively,” it added further. ecution wing of the Jammu national who infiltrated into kept away from other inmates a forest under the Bhejji police trict, police said. The skirmish out between the two sides near per cent with respect to finan- “In the recent budget of and Kashmir Police as well as the Kashmir valley in 2014 for as he was a highly motivated station when a joint team of took place this afternoon in Errabor, located around 500 cial year 2015-16.” 2018-19, we have got a Rs 1,800 the state home department spreading terrorism, from terrorist,” said the official, who the Special Task Force (STF), forests under Errabor police kms away from here, he said. After physical verification crore with respect to previous over hurriedly issuing orders Kathua jail to the central jail has been dealing with terror- District Reserve Guard (DRG) station limits when security After guns fell silent, secu- of 10,044 PMEGP units (five 2017-18 fiscal’s Rs 1,024 crore, for transfer of the accused to in Srinagar with “immediate related cases. and local police was out on an forces were out on an anti- rity forces recovered body of a per cent of the total units) which is 78 per cent growth. a central jail here from Kathua e ff e c t ”. The high court order was “area-domination operation”, Naxal operation, Deputy Naxal, he said. MPOST across the country and collect- Since Prime Minister Naren- in the Jammu region, it has The order, a copy of which also not specific about any Deputy Inspector General of ing data from the beneficia- dra Modi has a lot of affection emerged. is available with PTI, was prison in the Kashmir division Police (South Bastar range) “Assistant constables Mad- the DIG added. ries, stakeholders and external with Khadi as he considers it Piecing together events issued on behalf of state’s Prin- and had left it to the govern- Sundarraj P told PTI. kam Handa and Mukesh In another incident along sources, the evaluation study a tool of economical transfor- before the escape of 22-year- cipal Secretary (Home) by the ment’s to choose an appropriate As the team was passing Kadthi of the DRG were killed the stretch between Bhejji and said that average employment mation of the country, we will old Jhatt from the SMHS hos- then Special Secretary Dilshad jail, he said, adding “Jhatt could through the forest between and six other jawans were Elarmadgu, where a road con- per project was 7.66 peo- leave no stone unturned to fol- pital on February 6, it has been Shaheen. have been kept at Anantnag Bhejji and Elarmadgu, around injured,” the DIG said. struction project is under- ple, with an average cost of low and implement his vision,” found that the accused had A senior official, who spoke prison in South Kashmir which 500 km from state capital Rai- Reinforcement was rushed way, the Naxals killed Anil Rs 94,855 for generating KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar moved a habeas corpus petition on the condition of anonymity, is more secure or at Humhama pur, it came under heavy firing to the spot and the injured per- Kumar, the supervisor of the unit employment and an aver- Saxena said. In all the states, the before a single bench of Jammu feels that there was an undue jail where hardcore terrorists from the ultras, leading to the sonnel as well as the bodies of private contractor, and set age cost per project of Rs number of district-level task and Kashmir High court in haste in the case of Jhatt and are often kept. The high court gun- battle, the DIG said. the slain jawans were brought vehicles engaged in the road 7,26,760. force committee meetings was Srinagar which ordered his explained further that such was vague about the choice of The exchange of fire lasted to Bhejji. The injured jawans construction work ablaze, Sun- The study also indicates that less than three specified value lodging “preferably in a jail in hardcore terrorists could have prison.” for over two hours, he added. were being airlifted to Raipur, darraj said. the average age of the beneficia- of three-quarter, it said. NAGALAND ASSEMBLY POLLS Congress, SP to contest Bodies of five Congress to contest in 18 seats, BJP 20 recovered from lake in Kadapa OUR CORRESPONDENT ist Democratic People’s Party Nagaland became a state on tested from 56 seats and won UP LS bypolls separately (NDPP) of Neiphiu Rio, who December 1, 1963 and after the eight. The party had secured KOHIMA: The Congress, walked out of the ruling Naga election in January, 1964, the 24.89 per cent of the total votes OUR CORRESPONDENT assumes significance as it is the against us jointly in the 2017 OUR CORRESPONDENT which has given three chief People’s Front (NPF) to form first 40-member Nagaland Leg- polled. bastion of Adityanath, who has Assembly polls, their alliance ministers to Nagaland since its the new outfit. islative Assembly was formed The BJP had fought from 11 LUCKNOW: The decision of represented it in Lok Sabha five came a cropper, he said. HYDERABAD: At least five inception in 1963, is contest- The NDPP is contesting on February 11, 1964. In 1974, seats and won one. Their vote the Congress and Samajwadi times. Prior to Adityanath, Gor- Shukla exuded confidence bodies have been recovered ing from just 18 Assembly seats from 40 seats as per its seat- the strength of the Assembly percentage was 1.75. Party (SP) to go separate ways akhpur was thrice represented that BJP will not only retain the from the Vontimitta lake on in the February 27 state polls sharing arrangements with the was increased to 60. The NPF had contested in the bypolls for two Lok Sabha in the Parliament by his mentor two seats, but also improve its the outskirts of Kadapa dis- this time, two short of the BJP, BJP. The downfall of the Con- from 60 seats and won 38, seats in Uttar Pradesh may have Avaidyanath. margin of victory. trict in Andhra Pradesh on which is an emerging entity in The Congress nominees, gress had started in the north- securing 47.4 per cent of the brightened the BJP’s prospects Phulpur, on the other hand, “There are only two waves Sunday afternoon. Police say the north-eastern state. who withdrew from the polls eastern state at least five years total votes polled. of retaining these seats even was once the bastion of the - Modi wave and Yogi wave they appear to be red sanders As many as five Congress are -- Limawati Jamir from ago. Hokishe Sema was the first as the saffron party claimed it Congress, and represented by - in Uttar Pradesh, thanks to workers but claim they have candidates have withdrawn Aonglenden and Aimong Lam The party, which had won Congress chief minister of would rely on its hardwork and first Prime Minister Jawaha- their vision for development as no idea how they ended up from the election race and now, from Noklak. Three others -- eight seats in the last Assembly Nagaland (1986-1988). strength. rlal Nehru. It had for the first reflected in both the Union and in the lake. Police found axes, there are only 18 nominees in Hobeto Kiba from Zunheboto, polls in 2013 and was the prin- S C Jamir, currently the SP chief Akhilesh Yadav time witnessed a saffron surge state budgets,” he said. torches, and food items in the the fray for the 60-member Shami Angh from Longleng cipal opposition in the state, Governor of Odisha, served as on Sunday announced the in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, The Samajwadi Party (SP) backpacks found nearby. One Assembly polls. and Choakpa Konyak from lost all the eight MLAs when the Congress chief minister of name of the party contestant when Maurya emerged victo- today declared its support for body was found with the back- The party had released a Tobu -- were reportedly forced they merged with the NPF on Nagaland from 1989 to 1990 from Gorakhpur and said the rious. “We can clearly see that Praveen Kumar Nishad, for pack still on. All the bodies are list of 23 candidates on Feb- by the village authorities not to November 21, 2015. and then again from 1993 to candidate for Phulpur will be opposition votes will split with the bye-election to the Gora- in a highly decomposed state. ruary 6, of whom three were file their nominations. On the other hand, the BJP 2003. K L Chishi of the grand declared shortly. The Congress both the SP and the Congress khpur Lok Sabha seat. Praveen The Andhra Pradesh “restrained” by their respective Party insiders said the with- has been gaining in strength. old party was on the chair for has already named its nomi- in the fray. However, we will Kumar Nishad, who belongs to Police’s Red Sanders Task Force village authorities from filing drawal was primarily due to a On June 18, 2014, three 36 days in 1990. nees for both the high-profile contest on our strengths, and the Nishad Party, would contest has recently intensified comb- nominations, while two con- shortage of funds in the state NCP MLAs had defected to the Buoyed by its success constituencies. emerge victorious. We believe on SP poll symbol - the bicy- ing operations in the Seshacha- testants withdrew their docu- Congress unit. BJP, taking its tally in the state in Assam, Manipur and Gorakhpur and Phul- that the hard work of the party cle, the party said. SP would lam forests where smuggling ments citing a “fund shortage”. Nagaland Pradesh Con- Assembly to four. The NCP Arunachal Pradesh, the BJP pur Lok Sabha constituencies workers will definitely help us soon declare its candidate for has again started after a brief The BJP, a relatively new gress Committee (NPCC) does not have any MLA in the is making a determined bid were vacated by Chief Minister to clinch victory on both the the Phulpur Lok Sabha seat, lull. On Friday night, there was entity in the tribal-dominated president Kewekhape Therie Assembly now as the lone leg- to expand its footprint in the Adityanath and his deputy Kes- seats,” UP BJP spokesperson it added. On February 16, the a skirmish between the Task state, has fielded candidates admitted that the cash crunch islator of the party had joined north-east. The saffron party hav Prasad Maurya respectively, Manish Shukla said here on Congress decided to go it alone Force officials and red sand- from 20 seats. had forced the party to initially the NPF in 2015. is leaving no stone unturned to after they became members of Sunday. in the parliamentary bye-elec- ers woodcutters near Tirupati, The saffron party has forged field candidates from only 23 In the 2013 Assembly win the elections in Nagaland, the UP Legislative Council. Even when the two par- tions in Uttar Pradesh and and cops fired in the air to dis- an alliance with the National- seats. polls, the Congress had con- Tripura and Meghalaya. For the BJP, Gorakhpur ties (SP and Congress) fought declared its candidates. perse them. Modi to address global 1892 & 1924 pacts on Cauvery neither inoperative nor extinct: SC IT congress in city today OUR CORRESPONDENT ment and in this backdrop, the “doctrine of unconscionability” agreements are neither inop- as the Princely State of Mysore HYDERABAD: The city is set Union IT minister Ravi Shan- NEW DELHI: The Supreme erative nor completely extinct,” and the State of Madras were to host two mega technology kar Prasad and state chief min- Court has held that two pre- a bench comprising Chief Jus- on two different platforms. events--Nasscom India Leader- ister K Chandrasekhar Rao are independence agreements of tice Dipak Misra and justices “The State of Mysore was a ship Forum (ILF) and the 22nd expected to address the three- 1892 and 1924 between the Amitava Roy and A M Khan- vassal state and had really no edition of the World Congress day event. erstwhile princely state Mysore wilkar said. authority to speak on various on Information Technology That apart, Sophia the -- now a part of Karnataka -- Karnataka had attacked the aspects of the agreement,” it (WCIT)--concurrently from humanoid, who is a Saudi citi- and the Madras Presidency on two agreements of 1892 and had argued. tomorrow. zen, will also be a key attrac- the allocation of Cauvery river 1924 on two counts, firstly by The court rejected the The WCIT is being orga- tion. This will be her second water covers the areas of larger saying that the Maharaja of argument of “doctrine of nized for the time in the sojourn in the country, having public interest and hence, they Mysore was not in a position unconscionability” raised by country and Prime Minister attended the TechFest at the IIT are “neither inoperative nor to enter into an agreement on Karnataka and said, “The bar- Narendra Modi will deliver Bombay late last year. completely extinct”. equal terms with the Madras gaining power may not have inaugurate the summit through Navdeep Bains, the Indian- The apex court, by its cru- government. existed in 1892 or 1924 but a video conference, which will origin Canadian minister for cial verdict to resolve the Secondly, the state had definitely, the said power to have the who’s who of the innovation, science and eco- decades-old dispute between reasoned that the manner in bargain or to choose came global IT industry in atten- nomic development, Hans- the southern riparian states which the two agreements were alive after the 1947 Act and, dance, according to senior offi- Paul B rkner, BCG chairman, over Cauvery water-sharing, reached, the status was con- undoubtedly, after the Con- cial of the state IT department. national badminton coach has enhanced Karnataka’s share ferred by the British govern- stitution came into being.” Since Nasscom is the host Pullela Gopichand, Adobe by 14.75 tmcft and reduced ment and the maharaja, the “However, the state of Kar- of the of WCIT, the 26th edi- chairman Shantanu Narayen, Tamil Nadu’s quantum. orders passed by the British scribed by it. larger public interest like con- extinct. nataka chose not to do so. If tion of ILF is a limited edition. leading Hindi actress Deep- The verdict was delivered government from time to time “In the said case, the doc- struction of dams and irriga- “After the 1947 Act (Indian we allow ourselves to say so, it Telangana is the state partner ika Padukone and Sadhguru on Friday. clearly showed the subservi- trine of paramountcy has no tion of land existing within Independence Act, 1947) came chose not to rise like a phoenix, for both the events, the offi- of Isha Foundation are among “The two agreements of ence of the Maharaja of Mysore play. The two agreements, on the two states -- the State of into force, the doctrine of par- but on the contrary, it main- cial added. the speakers. 1892 and 1924 had neither to the paramount power of the a studied scrutiny, do not indi- Mysore and the State of Madras amountcy had no room for tained a sphinx-like silence at Both the summit will be At least 20 CEOs from For- any political arrangement British Crown. cate any aspect that can be -- and had nothing to do with application as the Government the relevant time. Therefore, held at the Hyderabad Interna- tune 500 companies and 100 nor touched any facet of sov- Rejecting the contention, called political or touching any political arrangement. It of India became the full sover- we are not persuaded to accept tional Convention Centre from other top executives besides ereignty of India. Per contra, the bench said after the Con- any facet of the sovereignty of rejected Karnataka’s conten- eign authority,” it said. the submission that the agree- Monday through Thursday. over 5,000 delegates are the agreements cover the areas stitution came into force, the India,” it said. Elaborating fur- tion that after independence, Karnataka had contended ments should be declared as The WCIT’s official page on expected to attend the confer- of larger public interest which exercise of power by the State ther, the bench said the agree- the two agreements of 1892 and that both the 1892 and 1924 void because of unconsciona- Nasscom website indicates that ence. MPOST do not have any political ele- over its citizens stood circum- ments covered the areas of 1924 became inoperative and agreements were hit by the bility,” the apex court held. 6 nation mp MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 BANK FRAUD Congress looking for scam to throw Stop behaving as if you are mud on govt: Nirmala Sitharaman OUR CORRESPONDENT

BENGALURU: Defence Min- ister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday accused the Congress of looking for a scam every day guilty: Rahul to BJP brass to throw mud on the “corrup- tion-free” NDA government as OUR CORRESPONDENT dren on Friday, a day after the Modi. Firestar Diamond Inter- she hit out the opposition party raids linked to the fraud case national, the company owned for throwing ‘trantrums’ over NEW DELHI: Congress were conducted across India. by Nirav Modi, had taken on the Rafale deal. chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted Contending that the Prime lease the property of a company BJP did not throw tantrums again on Sunday, demand- Minister’s Office was informed in which Mr Singhvi’s wife is a during Congress-led UPA gov- ing Prime Minister Narendra about fraud after a whistle- director, she said. Mr Singhvi ernment over any defence deals Modi and Union finance min- blower, the Congress ques- has called the allegations “ludi- as the Congress was doing at ister Arun Jaitley speak out on tioned how the jeweller was crous” and threatened to take present over the deal for pur- BJP leader and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman shows a the Rs. 11,300 crore Punjab allowed to fly aboard and be legal action. chase of Rafale fighter jets, she document while addressing a press conference on Nirav Modi issue, at National Bank fraud involv- part of PM Modi’s delegation in Last week, Union minister said at “The Huddle”, a thought BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday PTI ing celebrity diamond jewel- Davos despite that. In a dig at Ravi Shankar Prasad said refer- conclave, conducted by The ler Nirav Modi. The Congress PM Modi, the party also called ring to Nirav Modi as “Chhota Hindu Publication here. “Let’s get this out of our sys- tion that Qatar was buying has launched an all-out attack Nirav Modi “Chhota Modi Modi (Little Modi)” was “The Congress wants to tem that they (UPA govern- Rafale jet at cheaper rate than on the Prime Minister over (Little Modi)”. “shameful, derogatory, scan- equate their corrupt and scam- ment) had the deal and it was the rate at which India will pro- the issue, claiming that a fraud The BJP said it is trying dalous and demeaning” to the hit UPA government with ours. much better. Where was the cure them, she said, “The sim- of such scale could not have to clean up the mess created Prime Minister. So, it is looking for a scam deal under the UPA? There was ple thing is also that every time taken place without “top-level ple what is going to be done eller, his family and uncle and during the Congress regime. Nirav Modi’s assets every day. Here we go there is just no deal...” you go with transfer of technol- protection”. to Nirav Modi and “what is he business partner Mehul Choksi Senior ministers of PM Modi’s worth Rs. 1,300 crore have one, pick it up and throw mud, She was responding to Con- ogy, the price goes up to that At the party’s steering com- going to do to make sure that had fled the country on January cabinet have already spoken been seized and his passport is and it is for us to keep wiping gress President Rahul Gandhi’s extent.” She also countered alle- mittee meeting yesterday, Mr the banking system is safe”. 1, before the agency had filed a about the issue. being revoked. The investiga- it and saying we are clean. I allegations that the Rafale deal gations that a contract to man- Gandhi had said instead of The Central Bureau of case against him. Yesterday, defence min- tion was proceeding at “great am sorry it is somewhat not so inked by the government to ufacture parts of the jets was spending time to talk about Investigation has already Mr Gandhi was referring ister Nirmala Sitharaman speed” and strong action would responsible way in which you buy 38 fighter planes had no awarded to an inexperienced countering exam-related asked the Interpol to arrest to “Pariksha par Charcha” - an accused Congress leader be taken against anyone found want to criticise the govern- technology transfer, ignoring private company. stress to schoolchildren, the the 48-year-old, who is cur- interactive session the Prime Abhishek Singhvi’s family involved in the fraud, he had ment,” she said. the deal signed by UPA gov- “In the UPA non-deal, HAL prime minister should tell peo- rently in New York. The jew- Minister held with school chil- had business links with Nirav added. Stating that she had ‘hap- ernment to procure 126 Rafale had very clearly come up with pily released all the answers on planes. The Defence Minister certain number of man-hours purchase of equipment, weap- said Rafale had been consid- which was not even acceptable Mayawati lashes Pak charges `2.86L for route navigation charges on PM flights onry and certain helicopters,” ered along with Eurofighter for Dassault. So, the HAL deal she said when some helicop- Typhoon under the UPA again did not happen, so we at Central Govt ters were deployed in friendly regime and there was enough had managed to get transfer ABHISHEK SHUKLA visits to 11 countries--Nepal, lakh has been issued as route ing 737 plane touched down countries during UPA regime, data in public domain where of technology, you have not... over Niravgate Bhutan, Bangladesh, Afghani- navigation charges, records at 4.50 pm. then ministers did not disclose within three years between Dassault even did not consider NEW DELHI: Pakistan has stan, Qatar, Australia, Pakistan, accessed under the RTI Act He then took a helicopter information citing national 2011 to early 2014, the UPA’s HAL, and we have not consid- OUR CORRESPONDENT billed India Rs 2.86 lakh as Russia, Iran, Fiji and Singapore. from the Indian High Com- to Sharif’s Raiwind palatial security concerns. quoted prices about Rafale had ered anybody,” she said. route navigation charges for Batra gave a copy of the mission in Pakistan show. residence on the outskirts of There was no outrage at that undergone nearly 300 per cent Moreover, the Prime Min- LUCKNOW: Raising ques- Indian Air Force aircraft used RTI responses, received from Modi was received by Sharif Lahore to attend Sharif’s birth- time, in spite of BJP being the increase. She said the process ister did not mention any par- tions about Prime Minister by Prime Minister Narendra August last year to January 30 with a warm hug at the tarmac day celebrations. opposition. “We didn’t throw was almost completed and the ticular company’s name, public Narendra Modi’s ‘na khaoonga, Modi during a stopover in 2018, to PTI. of the Allama Iqbal Interna- A bill of Rs 77,215 was tantrums. We then thought bids were opened and at the or private, in the inter-govern- na khane doonga’ promise, BSP Lahore and visits to Russia, During one such visit on tional Airport, Lahore, when imposed as route navigation there would have been some stage of buying, the then “Rak- mental agreement, which was chief Mayawati reffered to the Afghanistan, Iran and Qatar, December 25, 2015, Modi had he made the unexpected stop- charges by Pakistani authorities reason, the government, the sha Mantri thought probably more like an MoU, she added. Nirav Modi scam claimed on an RTI response shows. a brief stopover in Lahore at the over on his way back home when Modi used an IAF air- defense ministry and the PM, there was something wrong She said Dassault had not Sunday that the Centre slept The data gathered by activ- request of then Pakistan Prime following a day-long trip to craft to visit Iran on May 22-23, probably had a genuine reason and asked for the details.” yet told the government with while a mega bank fraud took ist Commodore (Retd) Lokesh Minister Nawaz Sharif. Afghanistan after concluding 2016, and Rs 59,215 when he not to talk about it,” she added. Sitharaman said the whom they were going. “ So, place. Batra through his RTI applica- The stopover took place a two-day visit to Russia. visited Qatar on June 4-6, 2016, Sitharaman also said there Defence Minister had no busi- why there is imagination, “Oh “A Rs 20,000 crore bank tion, show that till June 2016, when Modi was returning from Modi was accorded a red the RTI response shows. was no controversy over the ness to enter the process after you have gone with them and scam took place, while the gov- Indian Air Force aircraft were Russia and Afghanistan. carpet welcome as the PM’s For both visits he flew over Rafale deal as there was no deal the bids were opened. that name was given by Prime ernment was caught napping. used for the Prime Minister’s For this, a bill of Rs 1.49 special Indian Air Force Boe- Pakistan. PTI under the UPA government. Responding to the allega- Minster. What kind of a public welfare government is this?” Mayawati said in a statement. Goa Assembly session to be cut Lashing out at the BJP, she Will consult legal experts on appealing NATION BRIEFS said all talk about bringing black money stashed abroad short due to Parrikar’s illness 7-YEAR JAIL TERM FOR MAN FOR and depositing Rs 15 lakh in against Cauvery verdict, says Tamil CM the accounts of the poor was PANAJI: The Budget session Committee will meet tomor- SEXUALLY ABUSING MINOR GIRL empty rhetoric. She sought to OUR CORRESPONDENT water of the inter-state river of the Goa Assembly will be row afternoon to take a formal BALASORE: A local court here sentenced a 26-year- know what happened to the was common and equal to all, curtailed to three days from decision on cutting the session old man to seven years in prison for sexually assaulting prime minister’s “na khaoonga, SALEM: The Tamil Nadu gov- through whose land it ran, and the planned a-month-and-a- short. “The questions, which a minor girl in late 2016. According to the prosecution, na khane doonga (Won’t ernment would go through the that no one could obstruct or half because of Chief Minis- were supposed to be discussed indulge in graft, won’t let any- Supreme Court verdict, reduc- divert it. ter Manohar Parrikar’s illness, in the current session, would Ashok Kumar Das (26) of Renupada village under Basta one do it as well)” assurance. ing the quantum of Cauvery Delivering its verdict on the Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo be postponed to the next ses- police station lured a minor girl of the same village to a “Was the hard earned water for the state, and consult dispute involving the south- said on Sunday. sion,” Lobo said. Legislature secluded place and sexually assaulted her. The incident money of poor and hard- legal experts as regards going ern states of Karnataka and Parrikar, who is being sources said minister Sudin took place on November 25, 2016. The victim later working people deposited in for an appeal, Chief Minister Tamil Nadu, besides Kerala treated at the Lilavati Hospital Dhavalikar of the Maharash- narrated the incident to her family and one of the girl the nationalised banks under K Palaniswami said here on and Puducherry, the court had in Mumbai for a pancreatic ail- trawadi Gomantak Party will s relative lodged a complaint with the police station, Jan Dhan Yojana for commit- Sunday. raised the 270 tmcft share of ment since February 15, would table the budget as Parrikar, ting fraud by favourite indus- “As far as the appeal is con- Cauvery water for Karnataka not attend the session, said BJP who holds the finance portfo- following which the accused was arrested. Additional trialists and businessmen,” the cerned, the Tamil Nadu gov- by 14.75 tmcft and reduced the MP Narendra Sawaikar. lio, will not be able to attend the district session judge of Balasore, Ajanta Sadangi, while former UP chief minister said. ernment will take action after as no state could claim owner- share of Tamil Nadu. The session will begin session. “On the advice of his delivering the judgment yesterday, awarded 7 years Was bringing back ‘achche going through the verdict and ship to rivers, were welcome. It had compensated Tamil tomorrow with Governor doctors, Chief Minister Mano- rigorous imprisonment to the accused along with a fine din’ (good days) mere rhetoric? consulting legal experts,” he The Supreme Court had, Nadu by allowing it to extract Mridula Sinha’s address. har Parrikar will be continuing Rs 5,000. she asked. said in response to reporters’ while delivering its verdict on 10 tmcft of groundwater from It was scheduled to end in with the treatment for (the ail- The Modi government queries. the vexed Cauvery river dis- the river basin, saying the issue mid-March, but now it would ment of) pancreas in Mumbai,” FOUR KILLED, 1 INJURED AFTER TRUCK must accept its responsibility in The chief minister added pute on Friday, said the water of drinking water had to be end in three days owing to Par- BJP MP from South Goa Nar- the mega scam instead of talk- that even though the apex of a river was a “national asset” placed on a “higher pedestal”. rikar’s illness, Lobo said. endra Sawaikar told reporters. OVERTURNS ing big, Mayawati said adding court’s decision to reduce the and a beneficial gift of nature The allocation for Kerala The state budget, sched- The CM was responding to SIKAR: Four people were killed and another person strict action against the guilty quantum of water to Tamil and that no state could claim and Puducherry continued to uled for February 22, will now the treatment but he needed was injured on Sunday when a boring machine truck persons was needed so that Nadu from the inter-state “exclusive ownership” over it remain at 30 thousand million be presented on February 20, “sufficient time to recover and overturned in the Neem Ka Thana area here, police people could repose their faith river was disappointing, certain or deprive others. cubic feet (tmcft) and 7 tmcft the deputy speaker said, add- be focused on the treatment”, said. A boring machine truck overturned after the driver in the banking system. other rulings of the court, such The court had also said the respectively. ing that the Business Advisory he added. MPOST lost balance on wheels while trying to evade an acci- Cong activist dent with a two-wheeler, SHO Neem Ka Thana Ranjeet MP bypolls: Yashodhara, nephew Army Chief, NSA, FS visited Bhutan 2 Singh said. The deceased have been identified as three killing in: Two Chhattisgarh-based labourers Rati Ram, Dinesh, Masu Jyotiraditya Scindia hit hustings Ram and two-wheeler rider Sudesh Jat. Their bodies have been kept at a local hospital for post mortem, BHOPAL: As campaign- constituency. Yashodhara CPI(M) workers weeks ago, discussed strategic issues ing for upcoming bypolls to Raje hit the hustings with the police said, adding that the vehicles have been seized. Kolaras and Mungaoli assem- promise of development and surrender MANASH PRATIM BHUYAN ‘HYDERABAD MBA STUDENT HANGS SELF bly segments has started getting is appealing to people to vote intense, erstwhile royals--Yas- for her loyalist Devendra Jain. KANNUR: Two CPI(M) NEW DELHI: Army Chief DURING VIDEO CALL WITH BOYFRIEND’ hodhara Raje Scindia of the BJP “If you vote for Jain, you will activists on Sunday surren- General Bipin Rawat, Foreign HYDERABAD: A management student reportedly and her nephew Jyotiraditya get 1+1 MLA (one for free),” dered to the police in connec- Secretary Vijay Gokhale and Scindia of the Congress-- are she said during campaigning. tion with the recent killing of National Security Adviser Ajit hanged herself during a video call with her boyfriend trying to strike the emotional Jain had won Kolaras in Youth Congress leader Shu- Doval quietly travelled to Bhu- at her hostel in Hyderabad, police said on Friday. chord with electorates. 2008. However, Congress’ Ram habib at Mattanoor in the dis- tan earlier this month on a rare Hanisha Chowdhary was rushed to the hospital where The outcome of the Febru- Singh Yadav snatched the seat trict, police officials said. visit during which they held doctors declared her brought dead. Hanisha belonged ary 24 bypolls for the two seats, from the BJP in 2013 polls. Akash and Rijin Raj, both extensive talks with the top to Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, about 350 km from currently represented by the Against this backdrop, Yas- in their thirties, went to the brass of the Bhutanese leader- Hyderabad, and stayed at a private hostel in Hyder- Congress, will be perceived as hodhara Raje is trying hard to police station at Maloor, near ship on strategic issues includ- about the status of bound- and the Ministry of External abad’s Kompally. Last night, she took the extreme step a pointer to the public mood win back the seat for the saf- Mattanoor, with a few other ing the situation in Doklam, ary talks between Bhutan and Affairs were also a part of the ahead of the Madhya Pradesh fron party. local CPI(M) workers and authoritative government China and emphasised that visit. Asked about the foreign while talking to her friend, police said. A senior police assembly elections slated later Sanjay Sharma, a social surrendered to the authori- sources said. Thimphu wants peace in the secretary’s visit, a diplomatic officer said they have recovered the girl’s mobile phone this year. worker based in Shivpuri- ties, they said. The sources told PTI that Doklam tri-junction. source called it “routine”. and investigations are on. While state Sports and Gwalior who had witnessed The development comes in the two sides reviewed bilat- Troops of India and China This was Gen. Rawat’s sec- Youth Welfare Minister Yas- elections in the area for the the backdrop of the Congress eral security and defence coop- were locked in a 73-day-long ond visit to Bhutan in the last RAJASTHAN: DEATH TOLL IN BEAWAR hodhara Raje is seeking votes in last four decades, said, “Nor- sharpening its attack on the eration issues with a focus on standoff in Doklam from June nine months. Gen. Rawat has CYLINDER BLAST REACHES 18 Kolaras constituency by invok- mally, Scindia family members ruling CPI(M) over the kill- China’s increasing military 16 last year after the Indian side been calling for adequate focus ing the legacy of her mother never campaign against each ing of its functionary on Feb- posturing and infrastruc- stopped the building of a road by India on its nearly 4,000 km- JAIPUR: The death toll in an LPG cylinder blast during late Rajmata Vijayaraje Scin- other and avoid face-to-face ruary 13. ture development in the key in the disputed Doklam tri- long border with China. Last a wedding function on Friday night in Beawar town of dia, a formidable BJP doyen, contest despite being in differ- Congress Kannur strong- Doklam plateau. junction by the Chinese Army. month, he had said the time Ajmer district in Rajasthan rose to 18 with the recovery Jyotiraditya is referring to his ent parties”. man and former Lok Sabha The visit took place between Bhutan and China have a dis- had come for the country to of nine more bodies Sunday, police said. Of the 18 late father Madhavrao Scind- However, a perception member K Sudhakaran had February 6 and 7 and “posi- pute over Doklam. The face-off shift its focus from the western injured, six were discharged, whereas five persons, ia’s contribution in the devel- is growing that Yashodhara announced a 48-hour fast in tive” outcomes emerged from ended on August 28. to the northern frontier. opment of the area. Raje and Jyotiraditya are cam- front of the Collectorate here the meetings between the key China and Bhutan are Army sources said China said to be critical, were referred to Jaipur from the JLN Kolaras and Mungaoli paigning against each other, in from tomorrow as part of its Indian officials and the Bhu- engaged in talks over the res- has been keeping its troops in Hospital in Ajmer, they said. Nine more bodies were assembly segments are parts of a departure from convention. agitation against the delay in tanese government, they said. olution of the dispute in the north Doklam and significantly recovered on Sunday from the debris. With this the toll Jyotiraditya’s Guna Lok Sabha MPOST arresting those behind the The visit by Gen. Rawat, area. India argues that since it ramping up its infrastructure rose to 18. Two more are feared to be stuck under the killing. Doval and Gokhale was the is a tri-junction involving the in the area. The Indian Army debris, Ajmer District Collector Gaurav Goyal said. He Shuhaib, the Mattanur first such high-level trip from three countries, it also has a has also been strengthening said a joint rescue-and-relief operation by the Army block Youth Congress secre- India to Bhutan after the say in the issue, specially in the its troop level in certain key tary, was at a roadside tea shop Doklam standoff and it was backdrop of a 2012 agreement sectors along the Sino-India and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was under- with two other party mem- kept under wraps by the Bhu- between special representatives border besides enhancing bor- way. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has an- bers, Riaz and Naushad, when tanese and Indian sides. of the two countries, that have der infrastructure. Previously, nounced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the family they were attacked. The Youth The visit came three days till now held 20 rounds of talks. Rawat had visited Bhutan in members of those killed in the blast and a financial help Congress leader was critically after Prime Minister Narendra Bhutan has no diplomatic April last year while then For- of Rs 50,000 each to the injured, an official spokesper- injured and died after being Modi held talks with his Bhu- ties with China. As a close eign Secretary S Jaishankar had son said. On Saturday, the chief minister took stock of taken to the Indira Gandhi tanese counterpart Tshering friend and neighbour, Bhutan visited the neighbouring coun- the rescue operation, met the family members of those Co-Operative Hospital at Tobgay on the sidelines of an enjoys diplomatic and military try in October last. In Novem- Thalassery, the police said, investors summit in Guwahati. support from India. ber last, the King of Bhutan, killed and announced the compensation from the chief adding that the condition of The sources said the Bhuta- The sources said several Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wang- minister’s relief fund. ICA/T 1160(3)/2018 those injured was stable. MPOST nese side apprised the Indians other key officials of the Army chuck, had visited India. PTI nation 7 MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 mp Gujarat dalit death: Rallies PM inaugurates `7,900-cr held, Mevani detained OUR CORRESPONDENT fourth terminal at JNPT AHMEDABAD: Protesters blocked roads and held ral- OUR CORRESPONDENT lies in several parts of Gujarat on Sunday , including capital NAVI MUMBAI: Prime Min- 'New BJP HQ bigger than any Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, ister Narendra Modi on Sun- and Patan in Mehsana dis- day dedicated the first phase other party office in world' trict against the failure of the of the Rs 7,900-crore 4th ter- authorities concerned to pre- minal project of the JNPT to NEW DELHI: With an area The dream of workers of vent suicide by Dalit activist the nation, which will raise the of over 1.70 lakh sq ft, the Jana Sangh, the BJP's forerun- Bhanubhai Vanakar on Friday, cargo handling capacity of the BJP's new headquarters is big- ner, and the BJP that they have police said. nation's largest container port ger than the office of any other an office of their own has been The protests were held after by 50 per cent. political party in the world, realised on Sunday , he said. police detained Dalit leader The fourth terminal project its president Amit Shah said The office is located at and independent MLA Jignesh Locals watch as a car is set on fire by a mob during a protest over the seeks to double JNPT's capacity on Sunday. The party's new Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg Mevani, and over 70 others, in self-immolation by Dalit activist Bhanubhai Vankar, in Ahmedabad on to nearly 10 million standard headquarters was on Sunday and it makes the BJP the first Saraspur area of Ahmedabad Sunday PTI container units and will make inaugurated by Prime Minis- major national party to shift this morning when they tried it the 33rd biggest port globally. ter Narendra Modi in presence its office outside Lutyens' to stage demonstrations over "Many Dalit leaders of the claimed through his tweet that In contrast, the global A ship docked at JNPT's fourth terminal, built and operated by the of former BJP chiefs, a num- Bungalow Zone, following a Vanakar's death. city had assured us that peace police misbehaved with him export powerhouse China Port of Singapore Authority, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister ber of Union ministers and Supreme Court directive that City crime branch offi- will not be disturbed during when he was on his way for "a already has 15 ports with over Narendra Modi on February 18, at the port located off the coast of office-bearers. party offices should be relo- cials claimed that Mevani did protests. Unfortunately, Mev- peaceful protest at Ambedkar 20 million TEUs capacity. Mumbai on Friday PTI Shah said the BJP is on the cated from there. "not behave properly" with the ani didn't give any such assur- statue in Sarangpur". The nation's largest port course of having its own office The BJP shifting its office police during his detention. ance. So, as a precautionary Mevani, who represents JNPT has a capacity of 4.8 mil- place for ourselves in a glo- further. in almost every district of the may put pressure on other par- However, the MLA tweeted measure, we have detained him Vadgam (SC) seat in Banas- lion standard container units balised world, we need to He said the JNPT, which country in an year and noted ties to follow suit as almost all he was pulled out of a car by today," Bhatt told reporters. kantha district, claimed he was capacity now and with this enhance our waterways," Modi awarded the fourth terminal that the party, at its national of them have been functioning police in a "very uncivilised He said police also detained detained after being pulled out inauguration 2.4 million stan- said. to the PSA in May 2014 after executive meeting in 2015, had for decades out of residential manner". around 70 people from Sarang- of his car. dard container units are added. The Port of Singapore long delays, has struggled with decided to own an office in 635 properties. The saffron party Vanakar (62) had set him- pur and Vadaj areas of Ahmed- He also accused the police On completion of the second Authority (PSA) has invested capacity till now due to which of 694 districts in the country. had been working from Ashoka self ablaze outside the Patan abad city. of damaging the car keys when phase by 2022, which will also Rs 4,719 crore in the first phase ports like Mundra in the pri- With Modi lauding Shah Road for over 35 years while Collector's office on February "Mevani and other detain- he was heading to Sarangpur. have a capacity of 2.4 million of terminal at Uran through vate sector have been able to and his team for building the the main opposition Congress' 15 seeking allotment of land to ees will be released at a proper Responding to his allega- standard container units, total its subsidiary Bharat Mumbai attract more traffic. multi-storied three-tower office is at Akbar Road and the a Dalit family. He died of burn time," the JCP said, adding tion, Bhatt cited a video clip capacity will go up to almost Container Terminal (BMCT). "Because of this capacity premises in 18 months, the BJP two premises are part of the injuries at a private hospital in two companies of anti-riot circulating on social media 10 million. The work on the terminal constraint, cargo movements chief said the new headquarters pool of government residences. Ahmedabad the next day. Rapid Action Force (RAF) and which purportedly shows Mev- Inaugurating the first phase began in 2015. have been sought to move is fitted with the latest commu- Modi and Shah had laid His body is still lying at three companies of the State ani confronting a policeman of the fourth terminal of the The overall capacity of the to other places. Perhaps, not nication technologies and hosts the foundation stone of the Gandhinagar civil hospital as Reserve Police (SRP) have been and trying to sit in his car after JNPT, to be operated by the first phase, which entails a their first choice to do so. They a spacious social media office. new headquarters in August his kin refused to accept it. deployed in the city. pushing him away. Singapore Ports, through a 1-km-long berth mostly built would prefer to go through The Prime minister can last year and a Mumbai-based Earlier yesterday, Mevani Though the state govern- "You can see how Mev- remote control, Modi, who on reclaimed land, can handle Mumbai as this city has a very address a state executive sit- architecture company had appealed to Dalits to gather at ment yesterday announced that ani behaved with the police- also laid the foundation stone three ships simultaneously, is big hinterland," Meng said. ting here, he said. designed it. The premises has Sarangpur circle this morning it will accept the key demands man who was only doing his for the first phase of the Rs 2.4 million standard container Now that the capacity has Shah said he had done his three buildings fitted with for protests. of Vanakar's family, includ- duty. Mevani's behaviour was 16,700-core Navi Mumbai units. been added, government will research and came to know modern communication tools, Joint Commissioner of ing allotment of land to Dalits, not proper. No matter what international airport here, said PSA Group chief executive also be able to seek investments that with any area of over 1.70 enabling party office-bearers to Police (Crime) J K Bhatt said Mevani had sought that the he did, police showed abso- his government is focusing on Tan Chong Meng said the port for the economy, he added and lakh sq ft the BJP office is big- coordinate official works with Mevani did not co-operate with government issue a circular lute restraint," Bhatt said, add- port-led development. is targeting to handle 500,000 underlined the need to have the ger than that of any other party their counterparts in states and police for maintaining peace conceding the demands. ing that violence will not be "If we have to carve out a TEUs in 2018 and then add pricing power for operators. in the world. local levels in real time. MPOST in the city. After his detention, Mevani tolerated. Diamond is now Ker Govt to geotag 21st century is the age of fraudster's best Budget not limited to outlay, 10 lakh livestock knowledge economy: Prez friend! Nexus farmer houses focus on outcome, says PM OUR CORRESPONDENT OUR CORRESPONDENT under scanner

NEW DELHI: President Ram NEWDELHI: Diamonds may OUR CORRESPONDENT THIRUVANANTHA- Nath Kovind on Sunday said have been long known as a PURAM: The Kerala govern- the 21st century was the age of girl's best friend, but fraudsters MUMBAI: The BJP-led gov- ment is gearing up to geotag "knowledge economy" and the seem to be the new paramours ernment’s budget reforms have the houses and farms of over power of new ideas and inno- of this glitzy substance and created a new work culture and 10 lakh livestock and poultry vation was greater than money. multiple regulators are prob- are transforming the socio-eco- farmers in the state as part of He said a sustainable ing this nexus after a state-run nomic landscape of the coun- its massive digitisation drive. development of the human bank got defrauded of USD try, Prime Minister Narendra The objective is to compile society was possible through 1.8 billion by designer jeweller Modi said here on Sunday. a comprehensive digital reposi- the confluence of Indian val- Nirav Modi. The government, he said, is tory of the information of ani- ues and modern science and Capital markets watchdog working in the times of disrup- mal husbandry and dairying in technology. Sebi is looking into the trade tion and discontent. the state and integrate the data Kovind was addressing the details and various suspected “Our budget is not limited using the Geographical Infor- diamond jubilee celebrations of violations by Modi-linked enti- to outlay, its focus is on out- mation System (GIS), official President Ram Nath Kovind, during the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations University of Delhi's PGDAV ties, including another jewel- come. Our reforms in budget sources said. College here. of PGDAV College (University of Delhi) PGDAV at Delhi on Sunday PTI lery major Gitanjali Gems of making and presentation have The state Animal Hus- Pointing to the success of Mehul Choksi. Also under the created a new work culture and bandry Department has a data- the youth and their start-ups feasible," he said. institutions, saying it has scanner is a suspected nexus are transforming the socio-eco- one now aspiring USD 5 tril- On investments, he said base of over eight lakh farmers in e-commerce, transport and In order to encourage self- imparted education based on between the diamond traders nomic landscape,” he said. lion GDP, he said. there is a healthy competition and houses and farms of over tourism, he said more than employment, the government modern scientific perspectives, and stock market brokers, a Modi was speaking after “I am sure that Maharash- among states to attract invest- 60,000 of them have already capital investment, it was the is providing assistance through as well as inspired by Indian senior official said. The banking inaugurating the ‘Magnetic tra will become the first trillion ments as per their strengths. been geotagged under the human talent and ingenuity various schemes, Kovind said, traditions, to successive gen- regulator is conducting super- Maharashtra’ Global Investors dollar economy in the coun- “What started with Gujarat ambitious initiative. that were behind such success. as he urged students to use erations in the country. visory assessment of Punjab Summit in suburban Bandra. try. Maharashtra’s development is visible all across the country It also plans to make the "The 21st century is the age these opportunities for their Indeed, the philosophy of National Bank, while all banks “We are moving in a direc- is representative of changes in now. I congratulate Maharash- functioning of the Depart- of the knowledge economy. In career development as well the DAV institutions, which have beefed up their vigil on all tion where the state is policy the country,” he said. A country tra government for the work ment 'paperless' in the next 6-7 today's era, the power of new as to create opportunities for were first founded in the 19th clients linked to diamond and driven, governance is perfor- progresses only when it has a on ease of doing business and months as part of the digitisa- ideas, new thinking and inno- others. Remembering social century, can stand us in good jewellery trade. mance driven, government is vision and works for inclusive- making it easier for investors,” tion drive, for which 23 mobile vation is greater than money, reformer Swami Dayananda stead in the 21st century as Besides, the Corporate accountable and democracy is ness, Modi said. “Potential, pol- he said. The ‘Samruddhi cor- applications will be developed, Kovind said. Saraswati, he said that to spread well, he said. The President Affairs Ministry is looking participative,” he said. icy, planning and performance ridor’ (between Mumbai and official sources said. The President said that his teachings, Indian educa- said that former prime min- into the filings of all registered “We are working in times leads to progress.” He said the Nagpur) will help boost agri- Besides the data of the the definition of employment tionist Lala Hansraj had laid ister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had companies and directors asso- of disruptions and discontent,” government in the last three culture and agriculture-based houses and farms, the status of is changing. Employment is the foundation of Dayanand completed his MA from DAV ciated with Modi and Choksi, Modi added. years has repealed 1,400 laws industries, he said. On the Cen- domestic animals and birds, the no longer just a conventional Anglo-Vedic (DAV) school in school in Kanpur. which run into dozens. Besides, In the last three and half and the new ones are being tre’s development initiatives, information of veterinary hos- job. Creating self-employment Lahore about 130 years ago. "I also completed my B com the ministry has identified 150 years, the government has written with the intent of sim- Modi said, “We will create 1.5 pitals and related offices would opportunities for yourself and Kovind also praised the and LLB from DAV school, shell companies for investiga- transformed the country from plification, not to complicate lakh wellness centres in bigger also be linked through the GIS for others has become more DAV family of educational Kanpur," he added. tions. MPOST being a fragile five’ nation to (things). gram panchayats”. technology. CIC Mathur defers hearing on Pre-Budget: Goa Clean Ganga mission: Govt plans industries want Gujarat Govt asks complaint against 6 parties Govt to clear OUR CORRESPONDENT 'one city, one operator' for STPs When contacted, Acha- cops to save water ryulu said it was an internal stand on mining NEW DELHI: Chief Infor- matter. OUR CORRESPONDENT and maintenance of STPs in AHMEDABAD: Bracing for at police stations, offices and mation Commissioner R K A three-member bench the entire town/city would be PANAJI: With the Budget the looming water crisis in staff quarters under their Mathur has postponed the headed by Acharyulu had NEW DELHI: To ensure better done by one operator. This will session of the Goa Legislative Gujarat this summer, state jurisdiction. hearing on complaints against heard the matter in Decem- co-ordination and improved also mean the ministry does Assembly beginning tomorrow, Home Department has issued The advisory asks officials six political parties for violating ber 2016. A few days later, one quality of water, the govern- not have to deal with five to six industry is expecting the state an advisory asking officials to to "monitor the filling of water the CIC's 2013 order bringing of the Information Commis- ment plans to have a single operators, the official said. government to make its stand ensure that water is not wasted in overhead tanks at police sta- them under the ambit of the sioners on the bench, Bimal operator maintain all sewage The National Mission for clear on the crisis-hit mining at police stations, staff quarters, tions and staff quarters to avoid RTI Act. Julka, had recused himself cit- treatment plants (STPs) in a Clean Ganga (NMCG), which sector and creation of employ- or in jails. overflowing". The hearing was to take ing pending work. Mathur city along the Ganga, as part Under this mode, is executing the mission on ment for locals. Calling for "judicious use of As several police stations place on Tuesday. had then put the matter in of its efforts to clean the river, behalf of the ministry, has Chief Minister Manohar water" in general, the advisory, as well as jails have their gar- No hearing on the matter abeyance. a senior official said. the government sanctioned 97 sewerage infra- Parrikar will present the Bud- issued recently, also lists several dens, officials have been asked has taken place since Decem- Meanwhile, Acharyulu's The Union Water Resources will pay the structure projects at a cost of get 2018-19 on February 21. specific steps to be taken to stop to install sprinklers or drip irri- ber 2016 despite clear instruc- order directing Delhi Univer- Ministry has already invited Rs 14,127 crore to abate pollu- The Goa Chamber of Com- wastage of water in the form gation system to save water. tion from the Delhi High Court sity to give records related to tender for integrating the exist- operator 40 per tion in the 2,525-km long river. merce and Industry (GCCI) in of overflowing from overhead The advisory also cautioned in 2014 to dispose of the matter all the students who had passed ing sewage treatment infra- cent of the amount Of these, 11 are proposed to be its pre-budget memorandum tanks at police stations, offices against excessive use of water within 6 months. BA degree in 1978, the year in structure in Mathura with completed under the hybrid stated that creation of 50,000 of senior officers as well as at all in washing police vehicles and The hearing scheduled on which, according to the varsity, a new 30 million litres daily initially, while the annuity model. The NMCG jobs by attracting investment the police staff quarters across asked officials to make sure that February 20 has been cancelled Prime Minister Narendra Modi (MLD) STP to be built there remaining 60 per has identified 97 towns (in five of Rs 25,000 crore in the coastal the state. Gujarat is staring at a drivers turn off the tap after "due to unavoidable circum- had also cleared the examina- under the hybrid annuity- Ganga basin states of Uttara- state can be done only if tax water crisis due to plummet- finishing their task. Officials stances", according to a Cen- tion, became public. based public private partner- cent will be spent khand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, exemptions are offered. ing water levels at the SSD on have been asked to implement tral Information Commission Soon after, Mathur divested ship mode. by the operator Jharkhand and West Bengal) "The union Department the Narmada river and in the a system to check if all taps are notice. Acharyulu from hearing mat- Under this mode, the gov- along the mainstream of the of Industrial Policy and Pro- catchment areas of upstream properly shut during holidays. Information Commissioner ters pertaining to the Min- ernment will pay the operator river which generate 3,603 motion (DIPP) has notified dams in neighbouring Madhya "Instead of throwing away Sridhar Acharyulu had recently istry of Human Resource 40 per cent of the amount ini- in Allahabad (72 MLD) and MLD of sewage. The existing guidelines for the excise free Pradesh that received scanty waste water, officials need to questioned Mathur on the lack Development. tially, while the remaining 60 Kanpur (49 MLD) in Uttar treatment capacity of the towns zone scheme for eligible man- rainfall in 2017. instruct the employees to use of transparency in formation of Mathur constituted a four- per cent will be spent by the Pradesh, Patna (150 MLD) in concerned is 1,584 MLD. ufacturing units in Jammu As a result, Gujarat would it for water garden plants," benches to hear the matter and member bench in July last year operator. Bihar and Kolkata (136 MLD) Eighty-nine sewage treat- and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, get only 4.71 Million Acre Feet it stated. The circular also delay in completing the hear- but no member of the bench The rest of the amount in West Bengal. ment projects have been taken Himachal Pradesh and North (MAF) water from dams on the directed offices and other ings, sources in the CIC said. which had heard the matter would be paid by the govern- Tenders for these projects up in 56 towns along the main- Eastern States including Sik- Narmada river this year, 45 per premises under Home depart- In a letter circulated among for nearly five months found ment over a period of 15 years, are likely to be invited by the stream of the Ganga. These kim," GCCI said in the mem- cent of the sanctioned share of ment to implement a system all Information Commis- place on it. The move drew "provided the firm operates last week of this month, the projects are estimated to create orandum submitted to state 9 MAF. to store rain water. It asked the sioners last week, Acharyulu sharp reaction from R K Jain, and maintains the STP prop- official said. another 1,525 MLD capacity. government. As per the advisory, senior Gujarat Police Housing Cor- is understood to have raised the complainant, who ques- erly and meets the ministry's There are several STPs in "Nineteen of the 89 projects Companies who have units officials, such as Range IGs poration (GPHC) to incorpo- points about the lack of discus- tioned the rationale behind the affluent discharge norms ," the each city along the Ganga. have been completed and cre- operating in these states will and District Superintendents rate rain water harvesting in sion on formation of benches new bench, prompting Mathur official said. Some of them are old and ated 172 MLD capacity, while get reimbursement of 58 per of Police (DSPs) need to check all structures such as staff quar- during the CIC's weekly meet- to defer the hearing for seeking He said efforts are on to are not operating properly. work on 42 projects are under cent on the Central Goods and as well as repair any leakage ters or police stations that they ings, they said. legal opinion. integrate STP infrastructures Upgradation, operation progress," the official said. Service Tax. MPOST in pipelines or storage tanks would build in the future. MPOST 8 editorial mp MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 EDITORIAL The e-vehicle paradox Despite the change technology promises, change on ground is so miniscule The saga that the reality of dirty energy and dirty vehicles swamps the little benefits continues o you feel, like me, that an “Ah Hah” he ambit of Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam moment is just involving Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi there, but we keep is growing by the day. The Income Tax department SUNITA NARAIN Dmissing it? Just consider how Ton Saturday claimed that the real extent of the fraud can e-vehicles are now the talk of be in the range of over $3 billion (Rs 19,317 crore) as other the town; how industry has banks are yet to audit their transactions with Nirav Modi, technology to make fuel out Mehul Choksi and their firms. So far, PNB has been non- of solid waste or even second- committal about honouring its guarantees, fraudulently gen- generation ethanol from bam- erated by its officials, to other banks for transactions made boo and rice straw-run vehicles by Nirav Modi and his associates. The Indian Banks’ Asso- without pollution and change ciation has decided to take up the matter with the Reserve the way we do business with Bank of India (RBI). UCO Bank on Saturday said that it pollution. The technology in has an exposure of $412 million (Rs 2,652 crore) to PNB by reach now promises to con- way of fraudulent transactions carried out by Nirav Modi vert municipal waste and sew- and his associates. The CBI has arrested two PNB officials age into fuel. In one stroke, we and an accountant who is one of the authorised signatories decarbonise vehicles, deal with to access bank accounts on behalf of Nirav Modi and his India registers garbage, and achieve the best companies. The prime accused in the scam involving Rs over 17 million emission standards—better 11,300 crore and counting, Nirav Modi, is said to be holed than the BS VI emission stan- up in a luxury hotel suite in New York. The probing agen- two-wheelers and dards. The opportunity of these cies have conducted raids and attached 22 properties and 105 over 2.5 million technologies looks immense. accounts of Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, and their firms. In Exciting. the nine accounts belonging to Choksi that were attacked by cars each year. But the change on ground Income-Tax department, the probing agencies have found The 100 e-buses is so miniscule that the reality that money was withdrawn in full from these accounts. In of dirty energy and dirty vehi- another development, the Central Vigilance Commission, will get totally cles swamps the little benefits. Public money is imperative to bring in good technology to decarbonise vehicles (Representational Image) has summoned top officials from the PNB and the Finance lost in the over- Why are we not able to see the Ministry to explain how the fraud went unnoticed for such transition at the scale and pace But the most important infrastructure for charging. date requires every vehicle and make vehicles available to a long period of time. The Chief Economic Advisor to the crowded, already needed? Why are we not profit- question is how will the tran- The other scheme for scale- manufacturer and importer to select target groups. government, Arvind Subramaniam, has said that it is high congested and ing from the opportunity of a sition be supported? The only up of e-vehicles is under the ensure that 10-12 per cent sales But none of this will work time the government allowed some degree of privatisation re-invented future? This is when supportive programme is the Energy Efficiency Services are e-vehicles by 2019-20. This for public transport. Here, the in the public sector banks. polluted cities. the politician-policy narrative government’s Scheme for Faster Limited (EESL), which has should not surprise us. The fact government has to put money With every passing day, the investigating agencies and This strategy has dramatically changed and Adoption and Manufacturing tendered for some 10,000 vehi- is that when Delhi went through down—and much more than banks are stumbling upon new disclosures. The full scale of there is optimism and drive to of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles cles and awarded this to Tata its own gas transition, it was what is it thinking of today. The the fraud, dubbed as the Indian banking industry’s biggest of incremental push new generation technol- (FAME), with an outlay of Rs and Mahendra Motors (70:30 done under a specific mandate. fact is that bus operations in our fraud, is yet to become clear. The politics has begun heating change is not the ogies. No longer is the issue of 795 crore, of which as of Decem- ratio). It has received the first The Supreme Court laid down cities are in the red today. This up on the issue with opposition slamming the government air pollution, for instance, out ber 2017 some Rs 400 crore was lot of 500 cars, specifically for that all buses and three-wheelers is even when the bus cost has and accusing it of helping Nirav Modi and his associates flee way to make a of the table. But still. No disrup- available. The scheme has now, Delhi and the National Capital would be run on CNG and that been fully depreciated. Even from the country. The ruling BJP has hit back, stating that the transition work tion. Not yet. rightly, prioritised funding of Region. It is also setting up 125 diesel buses would be penal- if the private sector is allowed fraud began and flourished when the Congress-led UPA was Take e-vehicles. So much public transport buses in cities charging stations in government ised for each operational day. In to bring these buses, they will in power at the Centre. The BJP has also accused Congress buzz, but in reality, we do not with a high air pollution load. offices, where these vehicles will just two years, the city brought need the costs to be recovered spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi of having direct links even have a clear policy for what Under FAME, initially, there be parked. The question is what in 100,000 vehicles. But today, from operations. The current with Nirav Modi’s businesses. BJP has accused that the wife we will promote and how. The was a discussion to give some is all this adding up to? India we don’t want to discuss any bus ticket rates—the bus com- and the son of Abhishek Manu Singhvi were directors of a Union Cabinet has recently 100 buses each to five high registers over 17 million two- tough mandate as it steps on petes with the two-wheeler cost company which has rented out a commercial property in the cleared the National Mission impact cities. But now, it is down wheelers and over 2.5 million too many toes. and even less—will not allow for Mumbai’ Kamla Mills Compound in Parel neighbourhood. on e-vehicles, but as yet there is to 40 buses for nine cities and cars each year. The 100 e-buses Then there is the tricky issue profitable operations. There- The political slugfest on the matter is likely to continue at huge confusion about the direc- Jammu and Guwahati will get will get totally lost in the over- of spending lots of money, which fore, public money is needed least for some time as the opposition has found a new issue tion of the technology road- 15 buses as they are in the spe- crowded, already congested and makes scaling up possible. There to bring in good technology. to attack the Centre and the Centre blames the main oppo- map—e-vehicles or hybrid or cial category. The government polluted cities. This strategy of is no doubt that the Govern- No half measures will work sition Congress of looking away when the fraud began in both. Battery operated electric subsidy is capped at R85 lakh to incremental change is not the ment of India should not sub- here. Otherwise, we will have 2011 under the Congress-led UPA government. There are vehicles run entirely on electric- Rs 1 crore per bus, depending on way to make a transition work. sidise private vehicles. Instead, vision (lots of it) and no change. as many as eight Assembly elections in 2018 and the latest ity, while hybrid vehicles (mild, the level of localisation—15 to Let’s then look at what has here the approach should be to DOWN TO EARTH and biggest banking fraud is surely going to be talked about full or plug-in) combine the 35 per cent of the buses would worked. Countries that have work with the fiscal structures (Sunita Narain Director during the election campaign. use of the internal combustion have to be made/assembled in pushed this disruptive tech- to incentivise cleaner vehicles. General of Centre for Science Apart from being a poll issue, the fraud committed by engine with battery. The NITI India. In addition, each of these nology have set clear and The approach also should be to and Environment and the Nirav Modi and his associates is simply so big and bizarre Aayog has been tasked to come 11 cities will have to spend up enforceable targets. China’s do what EESL is doing—bulk Editor of Down To Earth mag- that it’s going to keep the probing agencies occupied for a up with this policy. to Rs 5 crore for setting up the zero emission vehicle man- contracts to drive down price azine. The views are personal) long time besides spelling serious troubles for some of the leading public sector banks. As the size of the fraud is esti- mated to be around $3 billion or more, the exposure of differ- dear ent banks to PNB’s guarantees against credits given to Nirav Quote martial HISTORIC WIN EDITOR millenniumpost.in Modi’s is likely to be on the higher side. PNB’s response to whether it will repay the loans given to Nirav Modi’s compa- You were born to Team India under the Captaincy of Virat Kohli has succeeded in achieving such Log on to write letters to the nies against the guarantee given by PNB is vague and non- editor or send them to committal. As UCO bank has reported its exposure to such win, but to be a feat of defeating South Africa on their home soil which none of his predecessors had dubious transactions at Rs 2,652 crore, other banks too are winner, you must been able to do. India has simply routed South Africa in this bilateral ODI series by [email protected] expected to report similar exposures to PNB in the coming You can also send your weeks. If PNB refuses to honour its guarantees handed out plan to win, prepare beating them comprehensively with 5-1 margin. The way Virat Kohli has been scoring in hundreds over the years to Nirav Modi and his associ- to win, and expect centuries, it seems as if it won't take him too long to break one of the most coveted comments to The Editor, ates, the entire banking industry will plunge into a crisis as to win records of Sachin Tendulkar's highest number of centuries in ODI. The performance of Millennium Post, to how to settle the huge amounts of money given as credit Pratap Bhawan, 5 Bahadur Shah to Nirav Modi and his associates. The Finance Ministry and ZIG ZIGLAR all the Indian players deserves our accolades. RBI are expected to ensure that the banking industry as a MD.JAAN NESAR AKHTAR Via email Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110 002 whole is spared of any negative fallout from the Nirav Modi saga. And, if PNB is made to cough up money against its guarantees given to Nirav Modi and his associates, the bank will have to stand ready to pay up nearly $3 billion or Rs 19, 317 crore to different banks. Whether PNB can survive after It is crucial to build bridges provisioning this sum of money is a big question. Nepal must keep both India and China in good humour Scandal Down he 38th Prime Minis- Commission to ensure justice ter of Nepal Khadga to war victims remain on paper Prasad Sharma Oli, due to the absence of consen- Under the Chairman of sus among major political par- TCommunist Party of Nepal ties. Moreover, people are sick here was a time when a sex scandal could bring down SANKAR RAY (United Marxist Leninist), and tired of politicisation of the government in Britain but not so Down Under, will ‘balance between India the judiciary and growing cor- in Australia. Indeed, the Profumo affair, that featured and China’, believes Editor of ruption that have polluted sec- Tthe high and mighty and a “ravishing” Commoner, Christine Nepal Times, despite his pro- tions of three main political Keeler, had the Harold McMillan government come crash- Beijing propensity (a com- parties. ing down in London last century. But Australia’s Parliamen- pulsion due to the Madhesi If the PM is to reverse the tary sex scandal has opened a different can of worms and blockade of Nepal in 2015), poverty-stricken economy a growing rift in the governing coalition as deputy leader thanks to the successful per- and move towards a drasti- Barnaby Joyce described Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull suasion by External Affairs cally reduced economic dis- as “inept” for criticising his affair with an aide. Joyce, 50, Minister Sushma Swaraj, who parity, he has to build bridges whose National Party rules alongside Turnbull’s Liberals, Oli’s problems led an Indian delegation ear- with India. Geography, reli- admitted last week to having an affair with his 33-year-old are more internal lier this month. Swaraj had gion, political history, and cul- media adviser, who is pregnant with their child. parleys with not only leaders ture tie Nepal to India, which Turnbull yesterday harshly admonished Joyce for making than external. of CPN (UML), which has 121 no amount of Chinese aid can a “shocking error of judgement” for the affair and said he had His immediate members in the 275-mem- replace. Oli needs to balance created a “world of woe” for his wife, four daughters, and lover ber Parliament, but the top Kathmandu’s ties with New Vikki Campion. Turnbull, head of the Liberal Party, acknowl- imperative is the brass of CPN (Maoist Cen- Delhi and Beijing instead of edged that he was powerless to remove Joyce, who holds the implementation ter) including its Chairman tilting to one side or playing deputy position as leader of smaller National Party on which Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Oli needs to balance Kathmandu’s ties with New Delhi and Beijing and not tilt to one side one against the other. But this he relies to govern. Joyce has not only refused to resign but of the Dahal. There are 53 Maoist may be a showbiz balance as accused Turnbull of interfering with internal National Party Constitution, MPs. The oath-taking cere- landslide victory from Kath- harm the interest of both the affinity apart, India sheltered the severe shortages of food, affairs. He blasted the PM’s comments as “inept”, “unneces- mony was administered by mandu-5, defeating his Nepali countries. But we will always prominent Nepali libertarians medicine and fuel owing to sary”, and causing “further harm”. which is President Bidhya Devi Bhan- Congress rival Prakash Sharan look for Nepal’s interest”, he in their struggle against feudal near five-month blockade at “I don’t believe people should be resigning in any job over increasingly dari at her official residence in Mahat. Pokharel in an inter- stated with a clear vision. oppression of the now-buried the India-Nepal border in personal issues,” Joyce added. “In any workplace in Austra- Sheetal Niwas, Kathmandu on view to a Kathmandu daily in The border between Nepal Kingdom of Nepal. 2015 “gave the government lia, when personal issues become the determination of a job, contested by Thursday. Oli apart, Lal Babu the second week of December and China is of 1,236 kilo- Oli’s problems are more an incentive to diversify its then I think we have moved to a very sad place,” he said. Daily many groups. Pandit and Tham Maya Thapa, 2017, took up cudgels for treat- metres, while that between internal than external. His relations through closer ties media headlines about the affair have riveted the public and too, sworn in as Minister for ing the two countries as friends Nepal and India stretches to immediate imperative is the with China”. In addition, the sparked debate about workplace culture in Australia amid The PM in new Population and Environment “A true Nepali can never be 1,700 km. Moreover, Nepal’s implementation of the Con- blockade caused many of the the global #MeToo movement against sexual harassment. Nepal has before and Women, Children and anti-Indian or pro-Chinese. ties with India are much older stitution, which is increasingly ruling elite in Kathmandu to But it has also highlighted the perilous state of the coalition Social Welfare respectively. A true Nepali keeps Nepal’s than with China. The Nepali contested by many groups, as cast a suspicious eye toward government, which just a few months ago survived a crisis him an uphill task While both Oli and Dahal interest at the core. It is rather language is essentially Indian, the first South Asian state to India, believing that the gov- over lawmakers’ dual citizenship that threatened its wafer- of building and repeatedly expressed their biased understanding and an a point formidably argued in incorporate proportional rep- ernment in New Delhi tac- thin parliamentary majority. The Labour opposition has eagerness to befriend Beijing attempt to smear us by paint- the late 1970s by the late Saty- resentation in the law-making itly supported the blockade, capitalised on the situation with leader Bill Shorten calling consolidating a more than New Delhi (still ing this alliance as pro-Chinese endra Narayan Mazumdar, body. The PM in new Nepal according to a Stratford exer- for Turnbull to sack Joyce. “This government is in crisis. It consensus among fresh in the memory being Oli’s and anti-Indian. We will con- deputy leader of undivided has before him an uphill task cise. Skeptics keep reminding is a full-blown political crisis,” Shorten said, adding that the anti-India theatrics), politi- duct our foreign policy keep- Communist Party of India of building and consolidat- Oli of commitment to Arti- spat showed neither man was “fit for the high office they -cur various sections cal pragmatism compels the ing in Nepal’s interest at the in the Rajya Sabha between ing a consensus among var- cle-36 of the Constitution that rently hold”. The citizenship crisis had capped a decade of of the society on new regime to keep both the core. We are firmly convinced 1952 and 1956 and a renowned ious sections of the society specifies: “Every citizen shall turmoil for Australian politics that saw a revolving door of key provisions neighbours in good humour that just by whipping up anti- scholar on national and lin- on key provisions, includ- have right to food; every citi- Prime Ministers. Labour’s Kevin Rudd, who came to power Until recently, Oli was openly Indian sentiments is not going guistic questions. Mazumdar’s ing the republican character zen shall have right to be safe in 2007, was ousted as Prime Minister by his deputy Julia extending an olive branch to to elevate us, rather we ele- views, published as an article of the country and the rela- from being at risk of life due Gillard, before snatching back the top job in 2013. He lost the top brass of Communist vate by serving Nepal’s inter- in the now-defunct theoreti- tions between the Centre and to food scarcity; and every citi- the national election in the same year to the Liberals’ Tony Party of China, emphasising est. Our relations with India cal fortnightly of CPI, were a provinces. Otherwise, the dis- zen shall have the right to food Abbott, who was then deposed by rival Turnbull in 2015. on treating China as its most will be excellent. We are keenly stern rebuff to the then Indian content among dissidents is sovereignty in accordance with Given the current state of affairs, the door, it seems, will trusted neighbour. The gen- aware of the security concerns PM Morarji Desai, who made bound to escalate Institutional l aw.” IPA resume revolving sooner than later. eral secretary of his party Ish- of both India and China. We a statement that Nepali is a assurances like setting up of (The views expressed war Pokharel, too recorded a will ensure that Nepal won’t foreign language. Linguistic the Truth and Reconciliation are strictly personal) 9 MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 mp in focus Political prudence, fiscal responsibility Budget 2018 provides Ease of Living without the pain of giving

ith a focus on improving “Ease of Living” for the masses, the budget document attempts to position the government as RAVI KANT GUPTA Wan enabler and facilitator in the progress of nation without compromising on the fiscal prudence or indulging in fiscal profligacy. In his plenary session at WEF summit at Davos 2018, a first by an Indian Prime Min- ister, Narendra Modi inter alia emphasised that going beyond improving merely the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) rankings, his government shall henceforth be focus- ing on furthering Ease of Living (EOL) for the common man in what is seen as the lat- est slogan for better governance. Personally, I couldn’t have been happier as I had pro- posed this innovative concept first in 2015 A focus on EOL to a public policy think-tank and then in has the potential April 2017, in a series of tweets to Hon’ble PM, I had delineated this concept in brief to turn the entire and requested him to earnestly consider policy framework the suggestion of moving beyond ‘EODB’ upside-down to ‘EOL’ and also preparing an EOL index to essentially capture multiple parameters by correcting whereby the Government affects the lives the hitherto of people. These could include provisioning of various services like subsidies, PDS etc. misaligned to the common man, amount of disposable priorities. It is income, access to basic facilities like health- care, education, clean water, sanitation, elec- not the case tricity, etc. It shall basically monitor the that improving economic, social, and physical well-being of the common man. Using the random sam- the business ple survey techniques, one could measure a environment is baseline and then monitor the improvement in “Ease of Living” at the bottom-tier. It shall unnecessary, also point out the shortcomings in various Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Davos however, this schemes or regions where the desired impact is not being achieved. Over a period of time etisation and GST and in wake of General amount through disinvestment of 9 per cent $60 Billion tax-free profits mostly to wealthy Overall, I would infer that this Budget ‘trickle down with regular data collection, monitoring and Elections in 2019, one could have expected of GoI holding in ITC, a cigarette manufac- and big investors. The exemption provided is a reformist, citizen-friendly and a very economics’ alone feedback EOL index shall concentrate on the Government to dole out largesse to the turer which would have easily fetched this to small investors of 1 lac tax-free LTCG sharp focus on improving ‘Ease of Living’ improvements and deficiencies at the bottom poor, middle, and rich classes alike, with- amount for the initial year, before the tax and grandfathering of Capital gains for all as has been reflected in this budget, shall be isn’t able to serve tier, whereby mid-course policy corrections out worrying about the dynamics of the buoyancy of GST kicks in following years. sections, ensures a very fair re-introduction the biggest game changer in medium to long the needs of a could then be done. fiscal prudence. None of that actually hap- Responding to the agrarian crisis, the of the tax. Simultaneously the corporate tax term. All these innovative measures have the The Union Budget of 2018 is the first pened. Launching the world’s largest govern- MSP for crops across the board has been rate has been reduced to 25 per cent from 30 potential of creating self-sustaining and vir- vast majority major policy document announced after ment health assurance scheme, Government hiked to 50 per cent over the production per cent for while of MSME sector, cover- tuous cycles as they are demand-driven and in any effective the aforesaid session at Davos, which has has signaled its intent of providing a social costs, a decade old recommendation by Dr ing 99 per cent of the firms. Senior Citizens the only glitches that one can foresee are on brought the policy focus on the unserved, yet security net to its citizens, something which M S Swaminathan. This shall ensure higher have also been given multiple reliefs in their the supply side bottlenecks which must be manner most deserving majority population reeling had been missing all this while. The health cost, plus remuneration, and also control the tax spending including interest income and taken care of with advanced planning and at the bottom and lower middle tiers of the protection scheme aims to insure the poor lopsided production of only few crops. Other healthcare expenses. Amongst all these pru- roping in all the stakeholders including the economy. A focus on EOL has the potential population for up to 500,000 rupees (roughly major initiatives like investing in expanding dent measures, one could almost feel sorry private sector. Taken to a logical conclusion, to turn the entire policy framework upside- $8000) per family a year for almost 500 mil- the irrigation potential, affordable housing for the most compliant salaried middle-class an ‘EOL furthering’ vision of the Govern- down by correcting the hitherto misaligned lion citizens, a mind-boggling number by for the marginal sections, construction of population that has born the maximum ment would usher in an era of empower- priorities. After all, to a common citizen for any standards. This is an audacious attempt, toilets, provision of electricity to all house- brunt yet felt left out from being given any ment at the grassroot level and it could very whom having two adequate meals a day is a one which shall require major financial com- holds, bringing fibre-optic broadband to relief in taxes. A meagre standard deduc- well serve as a template for all other simi- major challenge, wouldn’t be impressed by mitment from the public sector, tapping all the villages, and supply of cooking gas tion was more than taken away by increase larly placed nations to follow. Victor Hugo the fact that how many days would it take of the private sector for financial as well to millions of households, are all the ‘EOL in Cess to fund the health scheme. However, once remarked that ‘No force on earth can to open or close a company in India. It is infrastructural needs and a well drafted, furthering’ measures which not only shall the middle class would do well to remem- stop an idea whose time has come’ And It not the case that improving the business fraud-proof implementation strategy. A improve the disposable income of the poor ber that in last three years, the government is time for governments across the globe to environment is unnecessary, however, this back-of-the-hand calculation suggests that and thereby lift the consumer demand, but has effectively controlled inflation, lowered work towards making the lives of billions at ‘trickle down economics’ alone isn’t able roughly an amount of 20,000-25,000 crores also makes life easier for millions by serving the interest rates, and slashed the minimum bottom tier worth living. to serve the needs of a vast majority in any per annum would be needed to honor the the huge hitherto unmet needs. slab of taxation to 5 per cent. Thus, any more (Dr. Ravi Kant Gupta is Additional effective manner as the experience in last 70 commitment. Though only Rs 2000 crores Plugging the revenue losses, the Budget indulgences would have only fattened the fis- Commissioner, Income Tax, years has shown. are allocated initially, a stronger and justi- has re-introduced long-term capital gains on cal deficit, thereby affecting the already ris- Government of India. The views Coming after the twin shocks of Demon- fied step would have been to fund this entire sale of equities which was yielding almost ing bond yields. expressed are strictly personal)

tweet All eyes on Northeast RETWEET Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland brace for high-stakes polls

he election scenario in three KAUSHIK BASU Northeastern states – Tripura, @kaushikcbasu Nagaland, and Meghalaya – is extremely complex and the HARIHAR SWARUP Tpoll equations have been changing fast. Tripura is the first to have Assembly To fathom what PNB’s allegation of the election on February 18, followed by $1.77 billion fraud by Nirav Modi means, Nagaland and Meghalaya on February 27. Incumbents in the three states are here are some equivalents. This expecting major challenges from BJP • could buy 1,700 3-bedroom flats in Delhi which is making aggressive campaign in • excedes the GDP of Seychelles & 17 Tripura, as well as Christian, dominated nations on IMF’s list tribal states of Nagaland and Meghalaya. • is what USA paid Iran to settle a 37-year BJP has managed to make inroads arbitration claim. into Tripura by taking advantage of the Congress’ depleting base, besides forg- ing alliance with a prominent tribal A resurgent BJP’s group. The party has, however, to play second fiddle to influential regional par- RICHARD DAWKINS big development ties in Christian states of Nagaland and @RichardDawkins pitch is gaining Meghalaya. In Tripura, the incumbent ground among Left Front government led by four-term Chief Minister Manik Sarkar hasn’t “Terrorists use trucks to kill, so why Tripura’s young faced a challenge of this magnitude don’t you ban trucks?” That has to be the voters. Added in years. A resurgent BJP is not only matching CPM’s slogan for slogan, its silliest of all the silly arguments of the to this, two big development pitch is gaining ground gun crazies. Trucks are designed & used decades of anti- among Tripura’s young voters. Added to for other things. Like transporting stuff. this, two decades of anti-incumbency Military rifles are designed & used for incumbency pressures and the appeal of heavyweight nothing other than killing. pressures and BJP campaigners like Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears to be making the appeal of Left Front a little nervous. heavyweight BJP Tripura is the last remaining bastion SHASHI THAROOR of the Left–it has been politically cut @ShashiTharoor campaigners like down to size in Bengal; while in Kerala, Last day of campaigning in Tripura before for Assembly election Prime Minister there is alternating trend between Marx- ists and the Congress. Having tasted of Tripura). The CPI-M is contesting land already has its first legislator. On testing alone with incumbent CM, T R Narendra Modi success in Manipur with its promise 57 seats and its allies – CPI, RSP, and Monday last, former Chief Minister and Zeliang as its CM candidate. Among the best lines going around on the appears to be of Central aid, BJP is hoping for a Forward Bloc – are contesting in one leader of the Nationalist Democratic Meghalaya is one of the two states @PunjabNational Bank Financial Crisis: making Left Front repeat performance in underdevel- seat each. Progressive Party (NDPP), Neiphiu where Congress is in power in the "These days, Punjab National Bank's oped Tripura. The latter has one of the The Congress, the principal oppo- Rio was declared “elected unopposed” Northeast. Faced with a strong anti- balance sheets can be described as a little nervous highest unemployment rates in sition in the state before the BJP push, from the Northern Angami II con- incumbency factor, Chief Minister follows: On the left side, nothing is right. the country and suffers from poor has fielded Pradyot Kishore Manikya, stituency. The Election Commission Mukul Sangma hopes for a possible infrastructure. the Maharaja of Tripura as the most declared the ‘result’ after the only other division of votes among Opposition On the right side, nothing is left". Meanwhile, the Left is banking on likely chief ministerial candidate; he is candidate, Chupfuo Angami from the parties to be able to hold onto power. He Black humour about red ink! Sarkar’s clean image to counter the saf- the working president of Tripura Con- Naga People’s Front (NPF), withdrew has been ruling the state for the second fron’s surge. Sarkar has astutely man- gress. Because of the Maharaja’s pop- his nomination. consecutive term. aged relations between Tripura’s tribals ularity, some of the tribal votes may BJP has snapped its 15-year-old alli- Though BJP and NPP (National NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON and Bengali speaking population, lead- accrue to the party. Also, 1,000 Tripura ance with the ruling Naga People’s Front Peoples Party) are allies in Manipur @neiltyson ing to the containment of insurgency in Congress workers returned to the party (NPF) to forge poll alliance with newly and in the NDA in Delhi, the two have the state. This allowed Tripura to lift the after defecting to Trinamool in 2016. To formed National Democratic People’s not forged a formal alliance in Megha- draconian Armed Forces (Special Pow- sum up the situation, ruling CPI(M) Party (NDPP) led by former Chief Min- laya apprehending rejection of NPP ers) Act in 2015. Thus, if BJP’s message is unsure, BJP is exuberant, while the ister and Lok Sabha member Neiphiu by Christian voters in the event of ties Evidence collected over many years, obtained in Tripura is development, the Left’s Congress is looking to quietly exploit Rio who quit NPF just before forming with BJP. BJP is ready to play a junior from many locations, indicates that the power message is peace. opportunities in Tripura. NDPP. BJP will contest in 20 Assembly role to the NPP in the post-poll scenario of Prayer is insufficient to stop bullets from This time, BJP is contesting 51 out of Campaigning has only just begun in seats while NDPP in the rest of 40 seats. that may be marred by a fractured man- killing school children. the total 60 seats leaving nine ST seats to Nagaland and polling day – February 27 Rio is the Chief Ministerial face of the date, a trend in the state since 1972. IPA its ally IPFT (Indigenous People’s Front – is still ten days away. And yet, Naga- BJP-NDPP alliance, while NPF is con- (Views expressed are strictly personal) 10 world mp MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 FLORIDA SHOOTING US Def Secy vows investigation into Trump turns on FBI after Syria attack involving Russians WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis vowed to investigate an attack involv- ing Russian citizens on Amer- criticism from survivors ican-allied forces in Syria but FORT LAUDERDALE: US In Washington, the polit- viral, with her name a top trend- stopped short of accusing President Donald Trump on ical response has made clear ing topic on Twitter. Moscow of orchestrating the Sunday said the FBI was so that the powerful NRA pro-gun In addition to the FBIs mis- assault. caught up in the Russia probe lobby remains formidable, while steps, Cruz was also known to Russia has acknowledged that it failed to heed signs which Trump himself suggested the local police after his mother that five of its citizens were could have prevented the Park- root cause of mass shootings was repeatedly reported him for vio- killed in a US-led coalition land school shooting. a crisis of mental health -- mak- lent outbursts, while records bombing in the eastern Deir His comments came as he ing no mention of gun control. obtained by the South Florida Ezzor province after they were faces criticism from survivors "If the president wants to Sun Sentinel show authorities part of a group pro-regime of the attack over his ties to the come up to me and tell me to investigated Cruz in 2016 after combatants which led an attack powerful National Rifle Associa- my face that it was a terrible he cut his arms on messaging on positions held by the Syrian tion, and after several thousand tragedy and... how nothing is app Snapchat and threatened Democratic Forces. rallied in Florida to demand going to be done about it, Im to buy a gun. "I understand that the Rus- nal sources? Dont ask me, I who can answer that question." urgent action on gun control. going to happily ask him how The newspaper, citing sian government now is saying dont know. At the time of the attack "Very sad that the FBI much money he received from Department of Children and that some of their not-mili- But I doubt that 250 to on February 7, the Russian missed all of the many signals January from a tipster who said paign received from the gun the National Rifle Association," Family Services documents, said tary forces, contractors, were 300 people, all just excited on defence ministry insisted it had sent out by the Florida school the gunman Nikolas Cruz could lobby. The crowd chanted in Gonzalez said in her impas- the investigation came four days involved in that still unex- their individual self, suddenly no servicemen in the eastern shooter. This is not acceptable," be planning a mass shooting, but turn: "Shame on you!" sioned address. after Cruz turned 18 -- legally plained attack," Mattis said crossed the river in enemy ter- province of Syria. he wrote on Twitter. that agents failed to follow up. "We are going to be the last "It doesnt matter because I an adult, and thus able to buy while flying back to Washing- ritory, started shelling a loca- However, many Russian cit- "They are spending too But the attack, the 18th mass shooting... We are going already know. Thirty million," a firearm. ton after a weeklong tour of tion and maneuvering tanks izens are fighting in Syria as much time trying to prove Rus- school shooting this year alone, to change the law," she vowed -- she said, citing the sum spent Investigators said there were Europe. against it. mercenaries working for a pri- sian collusion with the Trump has also renewed calls for greater slamming the fact 19-year-old by the NRA to support Trumps "some implications" for the teens "But they took directions "So, whatever happened, vate military company called campaign - there is no collusion. gun control with several survi- Cruz was able to legally buy a election bid and defeat Hillary safety, but concluded that his from someone. Was it local well try to figure it out. Well Wagner according to numer- Get back to the basics and make vors leading the charge. semi-automatic firearm despite Clinton. "final level of risk is low as (he) directions? Was is from exter- work with obviously anyone ous reports. AGENCIES us all proud!" One of them, 18-year-old a history of troubling and vio- She then ran through a list resides with his mother, attends US authorities have come Emma Gonzalez delivered a lent behavior. of the pro-gun lobbys talking school and receives counsel- under mounting scrutiny for fiery address to a crowd of stu- "The question on whether or points -- for example, that "a ing" as an outpatient at a mental Egypt accepts Do not test Israel, Netanyahu tells failing to act on a series of warn- dents, parents and residents in not people should be allowed good guy with a gun stops a health center, the Sun Senti- ing signs ahead of the massacre Ft. Lauderdale. to own an automatic weapon bad guy with a gun," that no nel said. delay of Ethiopia Iran, brandishing drone piece at Marjory Stoneman Douglas "To every politician tak- is not a political one. It is ques- law could ever stop a madman Cruz later passed a back- High School in which 17 people ing donations from the NRA, tion of life or death and it needs intent on killing -- answering ground check, allowing dam meeting as were killed. shame on you!" she thundered, to stop being a question of pol- each argument with "We call him in February 2017 to MUNICH: Israeli Prime Min- The FBI admitted Friday it assailing Trump over the multi- itics," Gonzalez said following BS." The young woman's pow- buy the AR-15 rifle used in ister Benjamin Netanyahu received a chilling warning in million-dollar support his cam- her speech. erful address immediately went the massacre. AGENCIES protests rage warned Tehran over aggres- sions by what he called Iran CAIRO: Egypt's Foreign Min- and its "proxies" in Syria, while Death threats have been made istry says it accepts Ethiopia's showing what he claimed was a Trump adviser says Russian request to delay a meeting piece of an Iranian drone shot about a dam that Ethiopia is down in Israeli airspace. against me, family: Bhalla building on the Blue Nile River, Saying he had "a message to loss of an Israeli plane in com- meddling incontrovertible after Addis Ababa declared a the tyrants of Tehran" during a bat since 1982. Israel's response HOUSTON: Indian-American state of emergency amid the speech at the Munich Security marked the first time it publicly Ravinder Bhalla, who became worst anti-government protests Conference, he warned: "Do acknowledged hitting Iranian MUNICH: President Don- see those indictments multi- the first Sikh mayor of New Jer- in decades. not test Israel's resolve." He targets in Syria since the 2011 ald Trumps national security plying, the statements multi- sey's Hoboken city, has pub- The meeting, which was brandished a rectangular piece start of the civil war there. adviser said Saturday there was plying." But Lavrov did not say licly acknowledged that death to discuss contentious issues of dark green metal which he Calling Iran's Foreign Min- "incontrovertible" evidence of a what he specifically disputed in threats were made against him over the dam, which Egypt called "a piece of that Iranian ister Mohammad Javad Zarif Russian plot to disrupt the 2016 the indictment. and his family recently. fears could reduce its share of drone, or whats left of it, after the "smooth-talking mouth- U.S. election, a blunt statement Trump tweeted late Satur- In a statement issued Fri- the Nile waters, was to include we shot it down." piece of Irans regime," Netan- that shows how significantly day that McMasters mention day afternoon following a secu- Sudan and take place in Khar- Israel has said it shot down yahu said: "Mr Zarif, do you the new criminal charges lev- of Russian election meddling rity breach at City Hall, Bhalla after going through the metal toum on February 24-25. the drone on February 10 after recognise this? You should, its eled by an American investiga- forgot to include that the elec- said the city is working with detectors. While Bhalla was not Foreign Ministry's spokes- it entered the country from yours." tor have upended the political tion results were not changed the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task in his office at the time, his dep- man Ahmed Abu Zeid said on Syria, and responded with a Again referring to Zarif, debate over his inquiry. by the Russians efforts. Force to improve security at uty chief of staff, Jason Free- Sunday that Egypt understands raid on what it said was the Ira- who is expected to speak later The statement by HR And he said McMaster City Hall. man, observed the man throw a "the circumstances that might nian control systems for the in Munich, the Israeli leader McMaster at the Munich plot, it also demonstrated that should have noted the only "This incident, alongbag with an object in it towards have led Ethiopia to request craft in Syria. said: "No doubt Mr Zarif will Security Conference stood in the ongoing probe may have collusion was between Russia, with death threats to me and the administrative assistant s delaying the meeting," which During the strikes, one of brazenly deny Irans involve- stark contrast to Trump's oft access to explosive intelligence Democratic nominee Hillary my family, is an unfortunate desk before running out of the Cairo hopes will be resched- Israels F-16 fighter jets was shot ment in Syria." "He lies with repeated claim that Russian material gathered on the Rus- Clinton and the Democrats. reminder that we need to take office, Melli said in a statement. uled soon. AGENCIES down, believed to be the first eloquence." AGENCIES interference in his election vic- sian operations. Trump frequently has tried to security seriously," Bhalla said, Hoboken Police Chief Ken- tory was a hoax. McMaster also noted that turn the tables on who tried without elaborating on the neth Ferrante added that the "As you can see with the special counsel Robert Muel- to work closely with Russians. threats. department takes these matters FBI indictment, the evidence is lers team had shown that the McMaster and Lavrov The Joint Terrorism Task very seriously. Pak to send transgenders now really incontrovertible and US was becoming "more and addressed the annual confer- Force has evaluated City Hall, We take incidents like these available in the public domain," more adept at tracing the ori- ence of world leaders, defense and we have been working to incredibly seriously and will McMaster told a Russian dele- gins of this espionage and sub- officials and diplomats, giving implement their recommen- continue working to ensure gate to the conference. version." Just minutes before, more general back-to-back dations for physical and pro- the security of the mayor and as Haj volunteers now The detailed document Russian Foreign Minister Ser- opening remarks. But both cedural changes to improve everyone who visits City Hall, presented the most compel- gey Lavrov had dismissed the were immediately hit with security for all employees in he said. Bhalla became the first ISLAMABAD: For the first ling public evidence to date that indictment as "just blabber." questions about the U.S. indict- the building, he said. ever Sikh to hold office in New time in the history of Pakistan, the Russian operation was elab- "I have no response," Lav- ment and the broader issue of According to city spokes- Jersey after a stiff competition transgenders will be part of a orate, expensive and real. rov said when asked for com- cyberattacks. In Russia, news man Juan Melli, a man entered that turned ugly when he was team of boy scouts being sent Citing emails and conversa- ment on the allegations. "You of the indictment was met with City Hall and told security he labelled a terrorist in slander- to Saudi Arabia to serve as vol- tions by the perpetrators of the can publish anything, and we more scorn. AGENCIES needed to use the restroom ous flyers. AGENCIES unteers during 2018 Haj pil- grimage, a media report said on Sunday. "Efforts for sending trans- Israel strikes Gaza after blast wounds four soldiers gender youth to Saudi Ara- bia to serve as Khuddamul GAZA CITY: Israeli jets struck An earlier statement said Palestinian security sources Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hujjaj (volunteers during the the Gaza Strip after four sol- the fighter jets had targeted "six said the explosion took place in a statement said they had annual Haj) are underway," IPC diers were wounded when an military targets in Gaza belong- east of the city of Khan Yunis. fired at the Israeli jets overhead. Sindh Boys Scouts Commis- improvised explosive device ing to Hamas, including: a ter- Israeli army spokesman But Conricus said there was sioner Atif Amin Husain was blew up along the border with ror tunnel in the Zaytun area Lieutenant Colonel Jona- no truth to the claim. quoted as saying by the Express the Palestinian enclave. and military compounds near than Conricus said a "rogue Hamas and Israel have Tribune. The explosion on Saturday, Deir el-Balah and Khan Yunis". group" had claimed responsi- fought three wars since 2008, Blue Veins, a transgender more than 150 boy scouts, he attain confidence, feel secure which left two of the Israeli sol- The army also reported that bility for the blast, likely indi- and the last conflict in 2014 welfare organisation, is coor- said, adding that last year over and move forward, the paper diers severely injured, was one a "launch was identified from cating one of the more radical was waged in part over tun- dinating with the IPC on the a hundred boy scouts had been said. Blue Veins Programme of the most serious incidents the Gaza Strip at Israeli ter- Islamist groups who are pres- nels from Gaza that were used matter, the paper said. sent. Coordinator Qamar Naseem on the border of the Hamas- ritory", with a projectile hit- ent in Gaza. to launch attacks. "At least two to three trans- "The recruitment process said that after the recruitment ruled enclave since the Islamist ting near a home in a southern But he insisted that "from Israeli aircraft hit Hamas gender persons will be selected for Khuddamul Hujjaj includes of 40 transgenders in Sindh, movement and Israel fought a Israeli community. Earlier in the day the army our point of view Hamas is targets in the southern Gaza from each of the remaining physical training and a test. his organisation is planning war in 2014. Prime Minister Benjamin said "two soldiers were severely responsible" and said the explo- Strip repeatedly in early Feb- three provinces for joining After that, the Pakistan Boy recruitment processes in Pun- In response Israel's army Netanyahu at a security confer- wounded, one moderately and sive had been planted during a ruary, after it said Palestinians the scouting community that Scouts Association sends a list jab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and said it attacked "18 terror tar- ence in Munich called the Gaza one slightly" when an impro- protest arranged by the group there fired a rocket into the leaves for Saudi Arabia every of successful candidates to the Balochistan. gets belonging to the Hamas border incident "very seri- vised explosive device blew up on Friday. Jewish state. year.," Husain said. Federal Ministry of Religious "This can be a game changer terror organisation" in two ous" and pledged to "respond along the border fence with Israel holds the Islamist Tensions between the Pal- He said recently 40 trans- Affairs and Interfaith Harmony and can significantly improve waves of air strikes. appropriately". Gaza. Palestinian movement Hamas estinians and Israel have been gender youth from Sindh were for a final approval," Husain the social acceptance of trans- "Eight targets were attacked A Palestinian security None of the soldiers lives responsible for any fire com- high since US President Don- administered oath on join- said, explaining the process. gender youth in our society," in a military compound near source said the Israeli air were in danger, a spokesman ing from the blockaded coastal ald Trump recognised Jerusa- ing the Pakistan Boy Scouts This year the list would he said. Deir el Balah, which belongs to strikes hit three bases belong- clarified. enclave. lem as the capital of the Jewish Association (PBSA) a national include names of transgender He termed the recruit- the Hamas terror organisation, ing to Hamas in the east of the In response Israeli forces The Israeli army responds state in December. scouting organisation and one youth, he added. ment step a positive initiative including weapon-manufac- blockaded Gaza enclave. said a tank quickly opened automatically to any strikes on Netanyahu will visit the of the largest volunteer forces Husain feels that by join- that would help the transgen- turing and training infrastruc- Two Palestinians were fire at an "observation post" its territory, generally targeting White House next month, a in the country. ing the Pakistan Boy Scouts der community in improv- tures," a statement released injured in the raids, Palestin- in southern Gaza, causing no Hamas facilities. senior US administration offi- The transgender persons Association, transgender youth ing its image at local as well as early Sunday read. ian medical sources said. injuries on the Palestinian side. Hamas armed wing, the cial said on Friday. AGENCIES would be part of a team of would get social acceptance, regional level. AGENCIES Iraqi victories over ISIS remain fragile as US reduces troops

QAIM: From their outpost on tiamen who seized control of drawdown has not yet been 23, joked as he and Hagerty Iraq, right?" Hagerty said later, voys are regularly stopped for Iraq's westernmost edge, US the area after defeating the IS decided. and the patrol convoy set off back at the base. hours while busloads of PMF 1st Lt Kyle Hagerty and his militants. US and Iraqi command- from a base outside the town "But when you see stuff like fighters are waved through. troops watched civilians trickle It was a bitter sign of the ers here in western Iraq warn of Qaim, evoking a phrase used that, it makes you wonder if US Marine Col. Seth Fol- into the area after American mixed legacy from the United that victories over IS could be in American policy goals for they are ever going to be able som works closely with the and Iraqi forces drove out the States intervention in Iraq undercut easily by a large-scale Iraq ever since the 2003 U.S.- to do it themselves." branches of Iraqs security Islamic State group. to help defeat the militants. withdrawal. led invasion that ousted Sad- After victories against IS, forces, Sunni tribal fighters and They were, he believed, American-backed military Iraq's regular military dam Hussein. the PMF has built up a pres- the Iraqi army, who are increas- families returning to liber- firepower brought down the remains dependent on US After just a few hours mov- ence in many parts of Sunni- ingly concerned about the rise ated homes, a hopeful sign of IS "caliphate," but many of the support. Many within Iraq's ing on foot across farmland and majority provinces, including in power of the PMF. increasing stability. divisions and problems that minority communities view the orchards to a cluster of mod- western Anbar. Iran has given no indication But when he interviewed helped fuel the extremists rise US presence as a buffer against est houses, Hagerty realized It formally falls under the of dialing back its support after them on a recent reconnais- remain unresolved. the Shiite-dominated central the families he thought were command of the prime minis- the defeat of IS extremists. sance patrol, he discovered he The US-led coalition, which government. returnees to the area were in ter, but some Iraqi command- "The biggest question I get was wrong. launched its fight against IS in Still, Iranian-backed mili- fact newly displaced. ers accuse the PMF of being a now is, how long can we count They were families looking August 2014, is now reduc- tias with strong voices in Bagh- Their homes in Qaim had rival to government power. on you being here?" Folsom for shelter after being driven ing the numbers of American dad are pushing for a complete been confiscated by the govern- PMF flags line highways said of his conversations with from their homes in a nearby troops in Iraq, after Bagh- US withdrawal, and some was the last battlefield against drawdown goes ahead with ment-affiliated Popular Mobili- crisscrossing Anbar. Iraqi commanders and local town. dad declared victory over the Iraqis liken any American pres- the extremists. Coalition com- no one certain of its eventual zation Forces, or PMF, made up At a PMF checkpoint out- politicians. Those who pushed them extremists in December. ence to a form of occupation. manders still work with Iraqi extent. mainly of Shiite paramilitary side al-Asad airbase, a sprawl- That decision ultimately out were forces from among Both Iraqi and U.S. offi- That has left an uncom- forces to develop long-term "Lets go win us some hearts fighters backed by Iran. ing complex used by both Iraqi rests with Iraqs political lead- their "liberators", Shiite mili- cials say the exact size of the fortable limbo in this area that plans for stability even as a and minds," Sgt. Jonathan Cary, "Our end goal is a stable and coalition forces, US con- ership, he said. AGENCIES world 11 MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 mp Jokhang temple: Huge fire engulfs US Navy says China’s military ancient ‘heart’ of Tibetan Buddhism BEIJING: A major fire broke out at one of Tibet's holiest Buddhist temples, Jokhang buildup wont stop patrols Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the capital ABOARD USS CARL VIN- its sovereignty. disputed sea, but their govern- Lhasa with a history of more SON: US forces are undeterred The nuclear-powered Carl ments have projected their fire- than 1,300 years. by China's military buildup on Vinson patrolled the sea prior power and clout in a delicate There were no reports of man-made islands in the South to its Manila visit but did not play of gunboat diplomacy and any casualties, state-run Xin- China Sea and will continue conduct a freedom of naviga- deterrence. hua news agency reported, patrolling the strategic, dis- tion operation, Hawkins said. "We're prepared to con- without specifying the damage puted waters wherever "inter- "That's not to say that we wont duct a spectrum of opera- caused by the fire to the temple. national law allows us," said a or we cant, but we have not, up tions, whether that's providing The fire started at 6.40 Navy officer aboard a mam- to this point," he said. humanitarian assistance, disas- pm on Saturday but was soon moth US aircraft carrier brim- There are reports that the ter relief in the time of an emer- brought under control, it said. ming with F-18 fighter jets. Carl Vinson will also make a gency, or whether we have Firefighters doused the fire Lt. Cmdr. Tim Hawkins port call in Danang in Viet- to conduct operations that and the relics are intact, state- told The Associated Press on nam -- another critical rival of require us to send strike fight- run China Daily reported, said. Internet users posted pic- ture was added to UNESCO board the USS Carl Vinson that Chinas ambitions in the South ers ashore," Hawkins said. without providing details. tures and videos of the fire on s World Heritage list in 2000 the Navy has carried out rou- China Sea -- as the first Amer- "We dont have to use that The Jokhang temple, also social media, showing flames as part of the Potala Palace, tine patrols at sea and in the ican aircraft carrier since the spectrum, but were ready to, known as the Qoikang Monas- shooting high into the sky the official home of successive air in the region for 70 years Vietnam War ended in 1975, in case we need to." tery, is regarded by the Tibetans above old Lhasa. Dalai Lamas. to promote security and guar- critic of Chinas increasingly Washington stakes no but Hawkins declined to pro- The US Navy invited jour- as the most sacred and impor- The extent of the fire dam- The Jokhang Temple houses antee the unimpeded flow of aggressive actions, includ- claims in the disputes but has vide details of future trips. nalists on Sunday on board tant temple in Tibet. age to the site, considered the many cultural treasures, includ- trade that's crucial for Asian ing the construction of seven declared that their peaceful res- China has also opposed the the 35-year-old Carl Vinson, The fire at over 1,300 years spiritual heart of Tibetan Bud- ing a life-sized statue of Buddha and US economies. man-made islands equipped olution and the maintenance of Philippine military's deploy- which was packed with 72 air- Jokhang temple raised fears dhism, was not known, the Post when he was 12 years old. "International law allows with troops, hangers, radar and freedom of navigation are in its ment of a Japanese-donated craft, including F-18 Hornets, over its future as investigators said. The temple attracts us to operate here, allows us missile stations and three long national interest. Beechcraft King Air patrol helicopters and surveillance tried to determine the cause of The oldest part of the tem- thousands of pilgrims and to fly here, allows us to train runways. US officials have said plane in late January to Scar- aircraft. the blaze, Hong Kong-based ple was built more than 1,300 tourists from home and here, allows us to sail here, and China claims the South American warships will con- borough, a Philippine official President Rodrigo Duterte South China Morning Post years ago and the whole struc- abroad. AGENCIES that's what were doing and China Sea almost in its entirety tinue sailing close to Chinese- said on condition of anonymity has tried to back down from were going to continue to do and has challenged the US occupied features without prior because of a lack of authority to what he said was a Philippine that," Hawkins said on Sunday naval supremacy in the west- notice, placing Washington in discuss the issue publicly. Chi- foreign policy that was steeply UK police probing UKIP sacks leader over on the flight deck of the 95,000- ern Pacific. a continuing collision course nese officials have relayed their oriented toward the US, but has ton warship, which anchored at "Were committed," with China's interests. objection to their Philippine allowed considerable engage- online abuse of Manila Bay while on a visit to Hawkins told reporters. "Were In January, China accused counterparts, the official said. ments with his country's treaty girlfriend’s racist messages the Philippines. here." the US of trespassing when the China and Japan have their ally to continue while reviving PIO principal in When President Donald The Trump administra- US guided missile destroyer own territorial rifts in the East once-frosty ties with China in Trump came to power, South- tion has outlined a new secu- USS Hopper sailed near the China Sea. a bid to bolster trade and gain LONDON: Britain's far-right east Asian officials were uncer- rity strategy that emphasized Chinese-guarded Scarborough There was no immedi- infrastructure funds. China, hijab row UK Independence Party has tain how deep the US would countering China's rise and Shoal, which Beijing wrestled ate comment from Philippine the Philippines, Vietnam, Tai- sacked its leader after weeks of get involved in the overlap- reinforcing the US presence in from the Philippines in 2012, military officials about China's wan, Malaysia and Brunei have LONDON: UK police are controversy surrounding his ping territorial claims involving the Indo-Pacific region, where despite its proximity to the opposition to the surveillance long contested ownership of investigating the alleged online girlfriend s racist messages tar- China and its Southeast Asian Beijing and Washington have main northern island of Luzon. flights at Scarborough. the South China Sea, where a abuse of an Indian-origin geting Prince Harry s fiancee neighbors. accused each other of stoking After voicing a strong pro- US and Chinese officials bulk of the trade and oil that school principal who was char- Meghan Markle. Trump's predecessor, a dangerous military buildup test, China said it would take have said they have no inten- fuel Asia's bullish economies acterised as German dictator Henry Bolton, who had Barack Obama, was a vocal and fought for wider influence. "necessary measures" to protect tion of going to war in the passes through. AGENCIES Adolf Hitler over her attempt refused to resign amid mount- to ban the hijab for very young ing pressure from within the Israel arrests pupils. party, was sacked following a eral Election. Sharifs assets worth 58 mn 18 yrs back: NAB tells court Neena Lall, the head- 63 per cent vote in favour of a The party's national execu- ` teacher of St Stephen s School no-confidence motion against tive committee expressed no Palestinians in east London, has been in the the leader at an extraordinary confidence in him last month, ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's anti- ownership as well as acquisi- eye of the storm over a decision general meeting (EGM) of triggering this weekend s bal- planning attack on graft watchdog has informed tion of assets by the accused to ban the hijab for girls under the party in Birmingham on lot. He lost the no-confidence an accountability court here persons. eight years, a decision she was Saturday. motion by 867 votes to 500. defence minister that ousted prime minister The prosecution said that forced to reverse last month "I think it's going to be diffi- "Henry Bolton has been Nawaz Sharif and his family's the accused persons were given amid backlash from the com- cult to unite the party, what we removed by the democratic JERUSALEM: Israel arrested declared assets were nearly Rs fair opportunities to explain munity. A complaint has now have effectively had is a rejec- decision of the membership," six Palestinians suspected of 58 million 18 years ago, a media and provide evidence justify- been filed with local police in tion of a new draft constitution, outgoing UKIP chairman Paul planning attacks targeting report said on Sunday. ing the accumulation of assets Newham, east London, about a reorganisation and indeed Oakden said. Defence Minister Avigdor Three corruption cases were but they failed to do so. emails, Facebook posts and a new way of doing politics," UKIP s former Brexit Lieberman and other Israelis filed against 68-year-old Sharif NAB stated that the other social media messages said Bolton, who is thought to spokesperson Gerard Batten in the occupied West Bank, and some of his family mem- accused persons' public state- received by both Lall and Arif be considering legal action to will take over as interim leader security agency Shin Bet said bers on September 8 following ments through media as well Qawi, the former chairman of challenge the result. of the party, with a leader- on Sunday. Shin Bet said the six a Supreme Court verdict that as record produced in their governors, The Sunday Times The 54-year-old former ship contest expected within were affiliated with the Islamic disqualified him as prime min- defence before the Supreme reported. Local police con- Army officer had faced calls to 90 days. Jihad militant group and were ister and ordered the National Court and the Joint Investiga- firmed that they were assessing go after it emerged he was in "I believe that you have active in the Bethlehem area Accountability Bureau (NAB) "The NAB chairman said record, regarding remittances tion Team (JIT) probing the a report of malicious commu- a romantic relationship with made the best decision that you where they sought to carry out for institution of cases against in the reference that Sharif had sent from Hill Metal Establish- Panama Papers were found nications following abusive Jo Marney, a model 29 years could in the circumstances," shootings against Israeli civil- the PML-N leader. acquired Al-Azizia Steel Mills ment to different persons. "untrue". e-mails having been received his junior, who had described Batten told the UKIP gathering. ians and security forces. The cases include Avenfield as well as Hill Metal Establish- NAB claimed that Sharif Sharif and his sons have in connection with the case. black people as ugly and said The pro-Brexit, anti-immi- In addition, some of the properties, Azizia & Hill Metal ment, but the proceeds were had acquired and owned "assets been named in all three interim Qawi claimed that a cam- Harry s mixed-race fiancee grant party has seen four differ- group had been planning to Establishment, and Flagship found disproportionate to his and its crime proceeds [are] and supplementary references paign of messages, some abu- would taint the royal family, ent leaders in the gap of a year. target Lieberman's vehicle Investments. known sources of income," the in millions of rupees" with the while Maryam Nawaz and sive, over several days had paving the way for a black king . Bolton s exit leaves UKIP when he travelled to his home In two suplementary refer- paper said. active connivance of his sons her husband Captain (retd) forced the school to reverse its The married father of two seeking a new leader in the in a West Bank settlement. ences one pertaining to Flag- In the supplementary refer- as dependents/benamidars, the Muhammad Safdar have only hijab ban. "I resigned because who reportedly walked out on space of 18 months after Nigel According to a Shin Bet ship Investments Limited and ences, the NAB said that Hus- paper said. been named in the interim and I did not agree with reversing his family over Christmas last Farage, Diane James and Paul statement, the suspects had 15 other companies, and the sain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz, In the Flagship supplemen- supplementary reference per- the hijab ban and to protect the year suffered a string of UK Nuttal. The party, which made been "trying to obtain explo- other to Al-Azizia Steel Mills in connivance with each other, tary reference, NAB said that taining to Avenfield properties. head-teacher. She was told that Independence Party (UKIP) big gains in the 2014 European sives to make a bomb, and even and Hill Metal Establishment assisted, abetted and aided the bureau collected material Currently, Accountabil- if I left, the campaign would resignations following the elections and got the third-larg- reached out to terror elements against Sharif and his sons, Sharif in accumulating and evidence, including certified ity Court Judge Muhammad stop, he told the newspaper. leaked texts. est vote share in the 2015 Gen- in (Gaza) for funding." NAB said the total declared managing assets, the paper record, pertaining to com- Bashir is recording evidence No head teacher or gov- "I have said all along that eral Election with 12.6 per cent, "Upon failing to acquire the financial worth of assets of the reported. panies and properties estab- in the Avenfield properties erning body should be subject once we got the EGM out of has been suffering from an materials, they decided to cre- accused persons as per their Al-Azizia and Hill Metal lished in the UK by the accused reference. to the sorts of abuse we have the way I would spend time internal crisis in recent months. ate a fake device to receive rec- tax record in 2000-01 was Rs supplementary reference stated persons. On February 22, two for- heard reported in these recent sorting out my private life," he Its vote share plummeted to 1.8 ognition for their action and 50,940,870 and USD 64,984 (Rs that the investigation officer Subsequently, the top anti- eign witnesses would record incidents, said UK education said in reference to his relation- per cent in the June 2017 snap enable further attacks," the 7.18 million), the Express Tri- had seized material evidence, graft body said that the record their statements via video secretary Damian Hinds, the ship with Marney, who he said General Election and has strug- statement read. AGENCIES bune reported on Sunday. including certified banking establishes and reaffirms the link. AGENCIES the latest high-profile figure he had "strong affections" for. gled to elect a leader who can to come out in defence of the Marney responded to the fix its fortunes. AGENCIES school s right to set its own uni- EGM vote by tweeting: My love New stroke treatment reduces brain damage, boosts healing form policy. for Henry is unconditional of Lord Theodore Agnew, political leaderships . Britain s minister for schools Bolton was elected in Sep- WASHINGTON: Scientists body's own defences, said Ste- The results were replicated systems, faith and counter- tember 2017 in the wake of have developed a new treat- ven Stice, professor at UGA. in a pig model of stroke - the extremism in education, had UKIP's disastrous perfor- ment for stroke that reduces When packaged with ther- only one of its kind in the US. last week offered his backing to mance in the last year's Gen- brain damage and accelerates apeutics, these treatments can Based on these pre-clini- Lall over her decision. its natural healing tendencies. actually change cell progression cal results, a UGA start-up St. Stephen s Primary Researchers from the Uni- and improve functional recov- ArunA Biomedical plans to School in east London has been versity of Georgia and Augusta ery, said Stice. begin human studies in 2019. at the centre of media attention University in the US created a Following the administra- Until now, we had very lit- after its ban on young pupils treatment called AB126 using tion of AB126, researchers used tle evidence specific to neu- wearing the hijab and fasting extracellular vesicles (EV), MRI scans to measure brain ral exosome treatment and during Ramadan. I have seen fluid-filled structures known as atrophy rates in preclinical, the ability to improve motor the vitriolic abuse on social exosomes, which are generated age-matched stroke models, function, said Stice, who is also media after this decision and from human neural stem cells. which showed an approxi- chief scientific officer of ArunA read of the intimidation of staff, Fully able to cloak itself - with the ability for exosomes EV therapy to cross barriers mately 35 per cent decrease in Biomedical. resulting in the resignation of within the bloodstream, this to carry and deliver multiple that cells cannot. the size of injury and 50 per Just days after stroke, we the chairman of governors. I type of regenerative EV therapy doses - as well as the ability to This is truly exciting evi- cent reduction in brain tissue saw better mobility, improved wanted to send out a clear mes- appears to be the most prom- store and administer treatment. dence, because exosomes loss - something not observed balance and measurable behav- sage: bullying or intimidation ising in overcoming the limi- Small in size, the tiny tubu- provide a stealth-like charac- acutely in previous studies of ioral benefits in treated animal of school staff is completely tations of many cell therapies lar shape of an exosome allows teristic, invisible even to the exosome treatment for stroke. models, he said. AGENCIES unacceptable, he said. AGENCIES Ultrathin, elastic skin display developed by scientists

TOKYO: Scientists have devel- time, or sent to the cloud or a a rubber sheet. It is the first stretchable dis- oped an ultrathin elastic display memory device where the infor- "Our skin display exhibits play to achieve superior dura- that fits snugly on the skin and mation is stored. simple graphics with motion. bility and stability in air, such can show the vital signs of the The newly developed skin Because it is made from thin that not a single pixel failed in body recorded by an integrated electronics system goes a step and soft materials, it can be the matrix-type display while sensor. further by enhancing informa- deformed freely," said Takao attached snugly onto the skin Combined with a wireless tion accessibility for people such Someya at the University of and continuously subjected to communication module, this as the elderly or the infirm, who Tokyo in Japan. the stretching and contracting integrated biomedical sensor tend to have difficulty operat- The display is stretchable motion of the body. system, called "skin electronics," ing and obtaining data from by as much as 45 per cent of its The nanomesh skin sensor can transmit biometric data to existing devices and interfaces. original length. can be worn on the skin contin- the cloud. It promises to ease the strain It is far more resistant to the uously for a week without caus- Thanks to advances in semi- on home healthcare systems in wear and tear of stretching than ing any inflammation. conductor technology, wearable aging societies through continu- previous wearable displays. Although this sensor, devel- devices can now monitor health ous, non-invasive health moni- It is built on a novel struc- oped in an earlier study, was by measuring vital signs or tak- toring and self-care at home. ture that minimises the stress capable of measuring tempera- ing an electrocardiogram, and The new integrated system Medical data measured by display showed a moving elec- resulting from stretching on ture, pressure and myoelectric- then transmitting the data wire- combines a flexible, deformable the sensor, such as an electro- trocardiogram waveform that the juncture of hard materials, ity (the electrical properties of lessly to a smartphone. display with a lightweight sen- cardiogram, can either be sent was stored in memory. such as the micro LEDs, and soft muscle), it successfully recorded The readings or electro- sor composed of a breathable wirelessly to a smartphone for The skin display consists of a materials, like the elastic wiring an electrocardiogram for cardiogram waveforms can be nanomesh electrode and wire- viewing or to the cloud for stor- 16x24 array of micro LEDs and - a leading cause of damage for the first time in the latest displayed on the screen in real less communication module. age. In the latest research, the stretchable wiring mounted on other models. research. AGENCIES 12 business mp MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 AAI terminates licences for 349 infra projects show cost ground handling services NEW DELHI: The Airports ` Authority of India (AAI) overrun of 2 lakh crore has decided to terminate the licences for ground handling NEW DELHI: As many as However, it stated that the services at various aerodromes 349 infrastructure projects, number of delayed projects as part of implementing the each worth Rs 150 crore and decreases to 258 if the delay new rules for such activities, above, have shown cost over- is calculated with reference according to a senior official. runs to the tune of Rs 2 lakh to latest revised schedules of Less than two months after crore owing to delays and other completion. the civil aviation ministry came reasons, a government report For 651 projects, where out with the new ground han- has said. original/anticipated com- dling services regulations, the The Ministry of Statistics missioning date has not been AAI has decided to cancel the and Programme Implementa- reported, all concerned have existing licenses given to such tion monitors infrastructure been requested to provide service providers and go for projects worth Rs 150 crore and the original/anticipated com- fresh tendering process. above. missioning date so that these Under the new norms, Ground Handling Services dling at the airports. "Total original cost of projects can be monitored for domestic scheduled airline Regulations 2017 in letter and "A foreign airline may implementation of the 1,283 completion vis-a-vis targeted operators and helicopters can spirit, the AAI has taken a undertake self-handling in projects was Rs 15,58,352.33 dates, it said. carry out ground handling on policy decision to terminate respect of passenger and bag- crore and their anticipated It noted that out of 302 their own. all existing licenses awarded gage handling activities, completion cost is likely to be delayed projects, 49 projects Confirming the move to for ground handling services excluding security functions Rs 17,59,443.87 crore, which have overall delay in the range terminate the existing licenses at its airports and for induct- listed out... at the airport ter- reflects overall cost overruns of 1 to 12 months, 66 projects for ground handling services, ing ground handling agencies minals restricted to passenger of Rs 2,01,091.54 crore (12.90% (13 to 24 months), 108 projects AAI Chairman Guruprasad through fresh tenders," as per check-in at pre-security hold of original cost)," the ministry's (25 to 60 months) and 79 proj- Mohapatra said that it has been a communication. area, at all the airports, except latest flash report for October ects (61 months and above). done to "ensure a level playing This is one of the communi- civil enclaves or joint user 2017 has revealed. The report attributes the field" for the ground handling cations sent out by the AAI to a defence airfields," according to Of these 1,283 projects projects till October 2017 was completion and 34 new proj- 302 are delayed, 349 projects time overrun to a host of issues, agencies. ground handling agency. the new norms. in question, 349 reported Rs 6,59,009.46 crore, which is ects have been initiated on are showing cost overruns and including delay in land acquisi- AAI manages around 125 Ground handling services Among others, airports cost overruns and 302 time 37.46 per cent of the antici- the monitor of this ministry 105 projects are showing both tion, forest clearance, supply of airports, including 78 domes- include aircraft cleaning and having million passengers per escalation. pated cost. during the current month. Of time and cost overruns with equipment, funds constraints, tic aerodromes and 26 civil servicing, loading and unload- annum capacity or more are According to the report, the "Out of total 1,283 proj- these, 13 projects are ahead of respect to original implementa- Maoist incursion, legal cases enclaves. ing of food and beverages, required to have three ground expenditure incurred on these ects, 12 projects have reported schedule, 317 are on schedule, tion schedules," the report said. and law and order situation. PTI "In order to implement the besides cargo and luggage han- handling agencies. PTI 8 PSUs to hit capital markets next fiscal Govt transforming aviation sector: Modi NEW DELHI: As many as 8 secured market regulator Sebi fiscal, the government has bud- MUMBAI: The government is Airport and dedicating the 4th ‘hawai-chappal’ to be able to projects were brought out of public sector companies, includ- nod for floating an IPO. The geted to raise Rs 80,000 crore transforming the aviation sec- container terminal at Jawaha- fly in a ‘hawai-jahaz’... the avia- files, discussed, revived and ing Hindustan Aeronautics and government plans to sell 10 per through PSU disinvestment, tor and focusing on providing rlal Nehru Port Trust to the tion sector has huge potential many are on the path of imple- RITES, will hit the capital mar- cent stake in the defence PSU. which includes strategic sale. connectivity and making air nation. of giving over three-and-half mentation across India. kets next fiscal as the govern- Besides, four PSUs -- RITES, "The government will adopt travel affordable, Prime Min- "Around 450 aircraft are times returns as from invest- India’s first Greenfield Air- ment intends to unlock the IREDA, Bharat Dynamics and a comprehensive approach in ister Narendra Modi said on now operational in India, ment of Rs 100, we can get port project, NMIA will be real value of PSUs and bring in Midhani -- have filed their draft going about its disinvestment Sunday. including those owned pri- Rs 350 in a period of time by the second international avi- greater accountability. papers with Sebi and are await- mandate," Gupta said. "Our aviation sector is vately. This is the figure since boosting trade and commerce, ation hub for Mumbai, pres- Department of Investment ing its go-ahead to launch public In the current fiscal, which growing tremendously. This Independence. However, just movement of people, tourism ently served by the Chhatrapati and Public Asset Management issue. Through RITES IPO, the ends in March, the govern- makes quality infrastructure within last one year, there and all-round development,” Shivaji International Airport, (DIPAM) Secretary Neeraj government plans to sell 12 per ment has already raised over in the aviation sector impor- have been orders for 900 new affordable rates,” Modi said at he said. which has almost achieved sat- Gupta said these initial public cent stake to raise an estimated Rs 23,600 crore by way of IPOs tant. Our government brought planes," Modi said. the foundation stone laying cer- Stressing the need for top uration point. It is being con- offerings (IPO) will be done in a Rs 600 crore. in four companies. an aviation policy that is trans- “Aviation sector worldwide emony for the Rs 16,000 crore infrastructure projects, he rued structed by the GVK Power "staggered manner" depending The government will sell As much as Rs 11,372 crore forming the sector," he said. is moving very fast... we can- Navi Mumbai International that there were many projects & Infrastructure Ltd (GVK- upon the size of the issuance. 13.90 crore shares in IREDA, has been raised from General "Aviation will also boost the not afford to lag. Since 70 years, Airport (NMIA) and inaugu- which were launched or inau- PIL) in collaboration with the "Eight companies are at dif- while 12 per cent and 25 per Insurance Corp, Rs 9,600 crore tourism sector in the country," there was no aviation policy in ration of the country’s largest gurated and then abandoned City & Industrial Develop- ferent stages of preparation (for cent would be sold in defence from New India Assurance Co, Modi said at an event in Navi India, which we have imple- container terminal at Jawaha- and existed merely on paper ment Corporation (CIDCO), an IPO) and will enter market PSUs Bharat Dynamics and Rs 1,442 crore from Cochin Mumbai after performing the mented recently to provide rlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), since over two-three decades the nodal authority of Maha- at an appropriate time," Gupta Mishra Dhatu Nigam (MID- Shipyard and Rs 1,200 crore groundbreaking ceremony of all-round connectivity to the built at a cost of Rs 4,719 crore. but added he initiated the Pra- rashtra to oversee the project said. Of these, HAL has already HANI), respectively. In 2018-19 Hudco. PTI Navi Mumbai International remotest corners of India at “We want people wearing gati scheme by which all such implementation. AGENCIES Amazon India PNB fraud: Assocham urges govt crosses 3-lakh Toyota seeks calibrated taxation, sellers mark on to cut stake in PSBs to below 50% equal treatment for all technologies NEW DELHI: The fraudulent The boards should then be its marketplace transactions of Rs 11,400 crore truly taking the policy decisions NEW DELHI: Toyota Kirlos- friendly approach to encourage detected at Punjab National while the CEOs would run the kar Motor (TKM) has advo- the ecosystem for all technolo- NEW DELHI: E-commerce Bank should act as a strong banks with full authority, cou- cated for a calibrated taxation gies,” he added. major Amazon.in on Sunday trigger for the government to pled with the commensurate policy that encourages “tech- The company would con- said it has crossed the 3-lakh reduce its stake to less than 50 responsibility, instead of look- nology agnostic approach” and tinue to focus on the action seller base in less than five years per cent in public sector banks ing towards the bureaucrats for urged the government to treat points to align with the gov- of the company s operations (PSBs), industry body Asso- directions. all technologies at equal foot- ernment objectives of reduc- in India. cham said on Sunday. It observed that the problem ing to bring down vehicular ing oil imports and minimising Of this, one lakh new mer- It argued that PSBs should lenders, Assocham said. has become more grave with the pollution and boost the volume pollution, Viswanathan said. chants were on-boarded in then be allowed to function on It claimed that top banking banking sector adapting to new growth in the auto sector. He added that Toyota has seven months. the lines of private sector lenders positions are treated as exten- technologies which can prove Technology agnostic always been in the forefront Amazon, which is locked with a full sense of accountabil- sion of a government job and both boon and bane, depend- approach implies that a com- working on ever better mobil- in an intense battle with home- ity to their shareholders, pro- the senior most managements ing on how effectively they are pany is unbiased towards using policy is calibrated towards in the same category as big ity solutions to address rising grown rival Flipkart, has been tecting the interest of depositors. spend bulk of their quality time, implemented. any specific technologies to encouraging a technology petrol and diesel luxury cars, levels of emission and fuel con- aggressively ramping up its The $1.77 billion (about receiving and implementing Assocham Secretary Gen- solve its business problems. agnostic approach which would attracting 28 per cent rate with sumption not only globally, but operations in the country. It has Rs 11,400 crore) scam in PNB directions from the bureaucrats eral D S Rawat said it was time The automaker’s comment reduce pollution, reduce India a cess of 15 per cent. also in India. pumped in billions of dollars to involves billionaire jeweller even for innocuous issues. the industry also did some comes against the backdrop of s oil import bills and encour- However, the GST on elec- “We will introduce appro- strengthen its seller and cus- Nirav Modi allegedly acquiring In the process, the core introspection. Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant age volume growth in the auto tric vehicles is lower at 12 per priate products in consulta- tomer base as well as towards fraudulent letters of undertaking banking functions, including While we seek more auton- asserting that there is no need sector both of mass market cent. tion with all stakeholders. In building infrastructure. (LoUs) from a branch in Mum- all important risk mitigation omy for the banks, we from the for a policy for electric vehi- cars and luxury vehicles,” TKM On the government’s deci- line with Toyota s Global Envi- Amazon India Director and bai to secure overseas credit and management, take a back industry must also set certain cles (EVs). vice chairman and whole-time sion of not having a separate ronmental Challenge 2050 to GM, Seller Services Gopal Pil- from other Indian lenders. seat, it said. standards for us for ensuring The company, which is a director Shekar Viswanathan policy for electric vehicles in achieve zero CO2 emissions, lai said that the "steep increase" "The PSU banks, ironically, Once the government equity a clean and best banking and joint venture between the Jap- said in a statement. the country, Viswanathan said we remain committed on our in the seller base was attribut- are slipping from one crisis to in the banks is reduced below business practices, Rawat said. anese auto major and Kirloskar This will in turn lead to the company understands the continuous efforts in devel- able to various India-first inno- the other and there is a limit 50 per cent, there would be He called upon the Reserve group, said it remains com- growth in employment where current stance of government oping alternate mobility tech- vations that have encouraged the government can keep bail- much more autonomy along Bank of India to take a lead and mitted to continuous efforts in automobile sector is a big con- towards promotion of mobil- nologies such as BEVs, HEVs, seller participation across the ing them out at the cost of tax- with accountability and respon- engage with the industry in find- developing alternate mobility tributor, he added. ity in the country. FCVs, etc, towards the conser- country, especially from tier II payers' money, even if it is the sibility of the senior manage- ing ways to do clean business in technologies. Under the GST regime, “Toyota will further drive vation of our environment,” and III cities. PTI principal shareholder in these ment, it added. the entire financial sector. PTI “We wish that taxation hybrid vehicles have been put its customer-friendly and eco- Viswanathan said. PTI GST good for logistics but GSTN glitches, compliance major issues: Ficci NEW DELHI: Feb 18 (IANS) small businesses, felt that the Implementation of the Goods e-way bill need not be intro- and Services Tax (GST) has had duced as it was only an addi- GST impact on restaurant industry positive a positive impact on the logis- tional compliance requirement, tics of businesses, while glitches as all details of sale and pur- MUMBAI: The restaurant at a steady pace. in the GSTN portal, cumber- chase were readily available on industry in Mumbai and Ben- "This can be attributed to some procedures and cost of the portal," Ficci said. galuru feels the impact of Goods the changing demographics, compliance remain major areas "It was suggested that the and Services Tax (GST) has increase in disposable incomes, of concern, industry body Ficci minimum limit for requirement been largely positive, but lack urbanisation and growth of said on Sunday, citing its survey be increased to 50 km and there of clarity on regulations remains organised retail. The market is in this regard. be no requirement of e-way bill a major hurdle, according to a highly segmented on account The Federation of Indian for movement of goods within survey. of varying income levels and Chambers of Commerce and the city limits." More than 70 per cent of the age bracket of the population," Industry (Ficci) had conducted The survey revealed that restaurant owners in the two Managerial Personnel (KMPs). said Grant Thornton India LLP a survey on the experiences businesses, especially export- cities believed GST is a posi- Like GST, demonetisation Partner Dhanraj Bhagat. of micro, small and medium ers, faced difficulty in claim- tive decision for the industry, has also affected the restaurant The survey revealed that enterprises (MSMEs), as well as ing refunds. while 68 per cent businesses felt industry, the survey revealed. quality of food emerged as the large corporates, on the first six implementation, the indus- errors posed major challenges monthly to quarterly," the state- "The mismatch between it will ease compliance since it The impact of demoneti- key driver for growth of res- months of the GST which was try has highlighted glitches in to businesses. ment said. shipping bill date and tax is backed by technology, said sation appeared to have been taurants, followed by location rolled out from July 1. GSTN portal, cumbersome "Respondents suggested "For services providers, invoice date does not allow the survey by Grant Thornton more in Bengaluru, where only and pricing. "More than 60 per cent of procedures and documenta- that a major revamp of the multiplicity of registrations was initiating refund of Integrated India, a leading assurance, tax one-third of the respondents For Mumbai respondents, respondents stated that their tion and cost of compliance as portal was necessary to make a concern as a separate regis- GST (IGST) paid on exports. and advisory firm. said there is no impact, com- having organic food is more experience with respect to the major areas of concern that it more efficient. There should tration is now required with They have suggested that this High rentals and difficulty in pared to Mumbai, where it was important than concerns related inter-state transportation of need to be addressed," it added. be provisions for auto set-off every state where service is condition of matching shipping retaining experienced staff are 60 per cent, it said. to pricing and cuisine prefer- goods has been good in terms According to Ficci, all of the liability against available being provided." bill date and tax invoice should key challenges faced by the res- This is also as cash is still ence, while affordability was of check-posts," a Ficci release the respondents of the sur- credit." "Respondents to the sur- be waived off," the industry taurant industry in Mumbai and a predominant mode of pay- highlighted as the key emerging said here. vey pointed out issues with Monthly filing of GST vey emphasised that filing of chamber said. Bengaluru, said the survey titled ment and accounts for 20-30 trend in consumer preferences "More than 50 per cent of the robustness and volume returns has been cited as a returns be made simpler. There "Firms which supply raw 'Bon Appetit Emerging trends, per cent of receipts in a restau- in Bengaluru. respondents mentioned that handling capacity of the GST "cumbersome procedure", should also be a centralised materials to its SEZs (special opportunities and challenges rant, it said. Meanwhile, the respon- goods vehicles are no lon- portal. according to the industry registration for inter-state ser- economic zone) locations in in Indian restaurant industry'. M-wallets have just started dents said pan-India or regional ger stopped and checked at "Problems like delayed chamber. vices," it added. other states are liable to GST Lack of clarity on regula- picking up and account for 4-5 expansion was the primary state borders, and 59 per cent reflection of updated data as "Around 78 per cent of the Regarding the e-way bill, the as such a transfer is considered tions has also been mentioned per cent of the collections, it strategy for growth. respondents have cited reduc- well as payments, delays in respondents suggested that the respondents found the current sales and is not getting a zero- as an area of concern, it added. added. In Mumbai, respondents tion in transportation time after process of input credit set-offs, periodicity of return filings for limit of 10 km to be inadequate rating benefit. The Grant Thornton's Bon "The Indian restaurant said global expansion and cui- GST has been implemented." inability to upload heavy files those taxpayers having aggre- for the purpose of updating "Such transfers for captive Appetit survey was based on industry has evolved and grown sine addition are two other "Amongst the key issues of certain formats and lack of gate turnover above Rs 1.5 details of goods on the portal. consumptions should not be findings from 35 (Mumbai) and significantly over the past two crucial strategies for increas- faced with respect to GST provision to modify or revise crore should be changed from "Respondents, especially charged under GST." IANS 29 (Bengaluru) owners and Key decades and continues to grow ing footprint. PTI business 13 MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 mp OVL to bid for Iran’s South Azadegan Indian Oil Corp to invest `70,000 crore to expand oilfield, rework Farzad-B gas field its oil refining capacity NEW DELHI: Indian Oil Corp State-owned ONGC’s overseas arm will bid for development rights of oilfield in direct competition with (IOC) will invest Rs 70,000 crore to raise its oil refining capacity the likes of global giants such as Shell, France’s Total, Petronas of Malaysia and Russia’s Gazprom by about a quarter by 2030 as it takes the lead to meet rising NEW DELHI: ONGC Videsh 19 fiscal buy 0.5 million barrels energy needs of the country. Ltd, the overseas arm of state- of crude oil per day (25 million IOC will expand its refin- owned Oil and Natural Gas tonnes). ing capacity to 116.55 million Corp (ONGC), will bid for This will be 25 per cent tonnes per annum (MTPA) development rights of Iran's more than current fiscal by 2030 from the current 80.7 giant South Azadegan Oilfield imports estimated at 370,000 MTPA with an investment of in direct competition with barrels per day (18.5 million about Rs 70,000 crore, a top the likes of global giants like tonnes). company official said. Shell, France's Total, Petro- India had for the current fis- India's current refin- Barauni refinery in Bihar, he nas of Malaysia and Russia's cal cut oil imports from Iran by ing capacity of 247.6 MTPA said. A 1.2-MTPA capacity Gazprom. nearly 25 per cent over delays exceeds consumption but with addition is planned for Uttar OVL will also rework the in award of Farzad-B develop- demand growing at a com- Pradesh's Mathura refinery to $6.2 billion cost of developing ment rights to OVL. In 2016- pounded annual growth rate take its capacity to 9.2 MTPA. the Farzad-B gas field in the 17, India had imported 510,000 of 3.5-4 per cent, it will need The official said IOC is also Persian Gulf, which it had dis- barrels per day (25.5 million to add more capacity to meet looking at adding a 9 MTPA covered a decade back, to get tonnes) of oil from Iran. the rising fuel needs. refinery at its subsidiary Chen- Iran to award rights of the field Pradhan said Iran has given The oil ministry estimates nai Petroleum (CPCL). to it, sources privy to the devel- "good incentives" on crude oil fuel demand to rise to 335 MT Other state refiners too opment said. exports to India. "It will be ben- by 2030 and has planned to raise have planned capacity addi- OVL is one of the 34 com- eficial for India to buy more the country's refining capacity tion to meet rising demand. panies Iran pre-qualified last crude from Iran rather than to 415 MTPA by 2020 from the Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) year for development of South from other countries. We have current 247.6 MTPA. In 2040, is looking to ramp up capacity Azadegan field, which contains agreed that India will buy more the refining capacity is projected to 56 MTPA, from 36.5 MTPA an estimated 33 billion barrels crude oil from Iran in coming to rise to 439 MTPA. currently, by adding 5 MT to of oil in place, of which 6 billion days." The official said the invest- its Kochi unit and ramping barrels are deemed recoverable. Like the recent acquisition ment planned by IOC also up capacity of Bina refinery in The field currently produces of 10 per cent stake in 20 mil- includes in upgradation of Madhya Pradesh by 9 MT to about 80,000 barrels of oil lion tonnes a year producing major units at existing refin- 15 MTPA. Also, Numaligarh per day (4 million tonnes per oil field in UAE, India made a eries to help produce cleaner capacity will go up to 9 MTPA annum) and output is envis- Sources said OVL had last bringing the field to production field in the Farsi block has an in the year beginning April to case for a stake in a producing Euro-VI or BS-VI grade petrol from 3 now. aged to touch 320,000 barrels year made its 'best' offer to while leaving the marketing of in-place gas reserve of 21.7 tril- reverse the reductions intro- Iranian oil field, he said, adding and diesel by April 2020. Hindustan Petroleum a day (16 million tonnes). invest $11 billion in develop- the fuel to Iran, they said, add- lion cubic feet, of which 12.5 tcf duced in the current fiscal. that on Indian horizon was a Besides, IOC plans to raise Corp Ltd (HPCL) also plans to Sources said OVL will make ing the Farzad-B field as well as ing that the upstream part is to are recoverable. Zangeneh said he was "opti- field like South Azadegan. capacity of its Panipat refinery expand its Mumbai refinery to a formal bid when National Ira- in building the infrastructure cost $6.2 billion while another On Saturday, Oil Minister mistic" about signing of an "The deadlock we had on in Haryana to 25 MTPA from 9.5 MTPA from 7.5 MTPA and nian Oil Co (NIOC) opens a to export the gas but Iran has $5 billion will be required to Dharmendra Pradhan held agreement awarding rights of the viability of Farzad-B block, current 15 MTPA while Koyali that of Vizag unit to 15 MTPA tender for developing the South deterred awarding the rights build a liquefied natural gas talks with his visiting Iranian Iran's giant Farzad-B gas field its size of capex, return, time- refinery in Gujarat would be from 8.3 now. It is also setting up Azadegan oilfield. of the field to the Indian firm (LNG) export facility. counterpart Bijan Namdar to its discoverer, OVL. A team line, we discussed all the three expanded to 18 MTPA from a new 9 MTPA unit at Barmer in Other firms prequalified owing to differences over pric- Iran believes the upstream Zangeneh where he pressed for of officials led by OVL will issues. We have exchanged our 13.7 MTPA. The recently-com- Rajasthan. The official said IOC, include Japan's Inpex Corp, ing of the fuel. investment should not be more a stake for Indian companies in be visiting Tehran this week positions. Next week our busi- missioned 15-MTPA Paradip BPCL and HPCL are together China's CNPC, Eni of Italy, With the deal on the verge than $5.5 billion. Farzad B was a producing oilfield and prom- to renegotiate terms. He said ness delegation will go to Teh- refinery in Odisha will see a looking at putting up a new 60 Sinopec of China and Russia's of collapsing, OVL has offered discovered by OVL in the Farsi ised to raise crude oil import Indian public and private sec- ran to discuss all these issues," capacity addition of 5 MT while MPTA refinery on the west coast Gazprom, Lukoil and Rosneft. to do just the upstream part of block about 10 years ago. The from the Persian Gulf nation tor oil companies will in 2018- he said. PTI 3 MT will be added in IOC's in Maharahstra. PTI Sebi may give fresh push FPIs’ net outflow Finished steel export NTPC eyes 100% equity in some JVs from equities hits to loan default disclosure $1 bn so far in Feb slides over 30% in Jan with state utilities, stressed assets

NEW DELHI: Concerned over NEW DELHI: Foreign inves- NEW DELHI: India's export of NEW DELHI: State-owned a massive Rs 11,000-crore fraud tors have pulled out so far this finished steel shrank by over 30 power giant NTPC is in talks at PNB remaining undetected month a staggering $1 bil- per cent to 0.616 million tonnes for buying out equity of state for years, markets regulator lion or Rs 6,850 crore from (MT) during January 2018, utilities in some joint venture Sebi may give a fresh push to the Indian stock market in the according to the government's projects apart from taking over its "on-hold" proposal to man- wake of sell-offs globally. Joint Plant Committee (JPC). some of their stressed businesses date listed firms to disclose all This is against the total The country had exported as part of its drive to augment loan defaults within a day. disclosure of even a small loan inflow of over Rs 13,780 crore 0.890 MT of finished steel dur- capacity. With an aim to help inves- default rather than the situation by foreign portfolio investors ing the same month a year ago. We are in talks to acquire tors take an informed decision to balloon into a major crisis," (FPIs) in January, latest data Exports should account some non-performing and at the earliest in cases of loan a senior official said. with depositories showed. for 6-7 per cent of India s total under-performing assets of state default, Sebi had proposed to Sebi is planning to make a "In January, the US unem- steel production in the next few utilities. The capacity of some of mandate listed companies to fresh push on its earlier pro- ployment rate stood at a 17-year years, up from the 1.5 per cent steel exported during the same these may not be very high but make immediate disclosure posal, although it is open to low of 4.1 per cent. In addition at present, Union Steel Minis- period in the ten-month period these projects have potential about their loan defaults. make a constructive changes to this, there is a good possi- ter Chaudhary Birender Singh a year ago. to expand, NTPC HR Direc- However, the proposal had to the proposed framework, bility of an increase in the US had earlier said. The imports of the total tor Saptrishi Roy, who holds to put "on-hold" apparently he added. Federal Reserve rate to coun- The import of finished steel finished steel during the additional charge of Director after reservations expressed by The regulator plans to go ter the rise in inflation. Overall too fell by 44.5 per cent to 0.335 10-month period grew 5.5 per Finance, said. pany. This is part of the NTPC eration costs, Roy said. the banking industry that such ahead with its earlier proposal we witnessed a sell-off globally. MT in January 2018 from 0.604 cent to 6.43 MT as against 6.09 In some cases we wish to buy plan for inorganic growth as the NTPC is currently work- a move can create a panic like that mandated listed compa- The FPI pull out from Indian MT during January 2017. MT during the same time in out our joint venture partner in corporation is eyeing the plants ing on new thermal projects situation. nies to disclose any payment markets is most likely a result In spite of a drop in exports the previous fiscal. specific projects with state utili- that are close to coal sources and totalling 21,000 mw for capac- "With the PNB fraud com- defaults to banks and financial of this," Harsh Jain, co-founder number as well as imports, Country's production of ties in a North Indian state. In running with an eye on cost of ity addition in the next the 3-4 ing to light, it has become institutions within one working and COO, online investment India managed to maintain its total finished steel during last another state we have made sig- generation from these plants. years, he said, adding that going important to ensure timely day of such a miss. PTI platform Groww, said. PTI position as a net exporter of month rose by 5.7 to 9.54 MT nificant progress to acquire one The company had recently by the projection of 7-8 per cent finished steel. over January 2017. The pro- performing project, Roy added. floated tenders inviting bids economic growth on an annu- "India was a net exporter duction during April-January He declined, however, to for acquiring stressed power alised basis, the demand for Govt likely to provide incentives for of total finished steel in Janu- 2017-18 also jumped 5.3 per give the names of the states or projects from the private sec- electricity is expected to grow ary 2018 as also during April- cent to 88.59 MT over the same projects citing confidentiality tor and is believed to have been up significantly, January 2017-18," the JPC said. period last year. The overall clauses. approached by some big ticket The company would expand However, for April-Janu- consumption in January 2018 Resources, he said, will not assets including from JP group to meet its role as the leading green tech, AI in new industrial policy ary 2018, the data compiled by was at 7.63 MT was up by 6.8 be an issue. Sources meanwhile s Nigrie thermal project. power supplier to the nation, the JPC -- the only organisa- per cent over January 2017. indicated that NTPC could be in There are 34,000 MW of Roy said, adding that nation NEW DELHI: The govern- the new policy to see their best tion to maintain a record on The per capita steel con- talks with Bihar utilities for two stressed assets in the power sec- may require additional power ment is expected to provide practices. It will be released steel and iron sector -- shows sumption is about 63 kg, the joint venture projects at Kanti tor. NTPC is looking to acquire capacity to the extent off 4-5 incentives for use of frontier soon," they added. a rise 40.2 per cent at 8.22 MT, aim of the government is to and Nabinagar but it could not operational coal-based power GW annually to meet the grow- technologies like artificial intel- The Department of Indus- as against 5.86 MT of finished take it to 160 kgs by 2030-31. PTI be ascertained from the com- plants which have lower gen- ing demand. PTI ligence and robotics in the new trial Policy and Promotion industrial policy that is likely to (DIPP) in August last year CORPORATE KALEIDOSCOPE be unveiled soon, sources said. floated a draft industrial pol- E-mobility: Govt may restructure 2 apex bodies Besides, the industries icy with an aim to create jobs would also be encouraged to for the next two decades, pro- for better inter-ministerial interface adopt green technologies to mote foreign technology trans- promote cleaner environment. includes artificial intelligence, fer and attract $100 billion FDI NEW DELHI: With an aim to propel the Centre's e-mobility initiatives, the The proposed policy, robotics, deep learning and annually. government is likely to restructure two apex bodies – the National Council the draft of which has been Internet of Things and incen- The department is work- for Electric Mobility and the National Board for Electric Mobility – to ensure released by the commerce and tives and there is a need to pro- ing to formulate an outcome industry ministry for consul- mote adoption of these modern oriented actionable policy that better inter-ministerial coordination. The restructuring proposal was mooted tation with various stakehold- technologies, which are capital provides direction and charts a by government think tank Niti Aayog for "providing a leadership and inter- ers, will completely revamp the intensive, according to govern- course of action for a globally ministerial coordination" and a Cabinet note is being drafted to formalise Industrial Policy of 1991. ment sources. competitive Indian industry the suggestion, officials said. According to the proposal, the NCEM may be The world is talking about "The ministry is holding that leverages skill, scale and restructured under the chairmanship of finance minister. PTI industrial revolution 4.0 that consultation with states also on technology. PTI

Uncertainty looms over mega petrochemical project in AP Punjab National Bank organised a CSR activity at Compassionate Missionaries, a Home for the vulnerable destitute at Kashmere Gate, New Delhi on February 16, 2018 wherein food items, AMARAVATI: The proposed Engineers India Ltd, GAIL and agreed to be examined tak- ister Dharmendra Pradhan medicines and other articles were given to the needy inmates petrochemical complex at HPCL signed a memorandum ing different IRRs (internal and expressed the state gov- Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, of understanding with the AP rates of return). The detailed ernment's inability to foot the a joint project of GAIL and government during the Part- techno-commercial report for VGF bill. He wanted the petro- HPCL, seems to have hit a nership Summit in January this project was still being pre- leum ministry to take up the roadblock with the Centre ask- 2017 for setting up the 1.5 pared, he added. burden. ing the state government to pay MMTPA petrochemical com- "The AP government has "We are awaiting a response Rs 5,000 crore upfront in the plex on a 2,000-acre site in the requested the Centre to reduce from the Centre to our plea," form of viability gap funding Kakinada Special Economic the IRR to 10-12 per cent on the official added. (VGF). Zone. the lines of HPCL's Barmer Meanwhile, the state gov- Establishing a greenfield But the Rs 30,000-crore refinery in Rajasthan. ernment also suggested an crude oil refinery and petro- project did not take off with the "For the Barmer refinery, alternative location for the pro- chemical complex has been Centre and the state squabbling the VGF has been reduced posed project. mandated under Schedule XIII over the VGF, said a top official. from Rs 3,736 crore to Rs 1,123 "Instead of Kakinada, we of the Andhra Pradesh Reor- The proposed complex, hurdle rate (the minimum rate Following a meeting crore per annum, adjusting the proposed that the cracker ganisation Act, 2014, which with a cracker unit, was sup- of return on a project) of 15 between Chief Minister Chan- IRR to 12 per cent. unit be set up at the upcom- paved the way for the creation posed to produce ethylene and per cent. drababu Naidu and GAIL "But the Centre has been ing Machilipatnam Port, which NMDC Limited bagged second best exhibition stall award at the of Telangana state. its derivatives. "To bridge this gap, viabil- authorities, it was decided that insisting that we chip in with is closer to the state capital International Conference on Mining organised at Hyderabad. NMDC The complex at Kakinada, "SBI Caps did a prelimi- ity gap funding in the form SBI Caps would "revise" the a VGF of Rs 5,000 crore," the Amaravati. Director(Technical) Narendra K Nanda received the award from the East Godavari district, is pro- nary financial appraisal and of an interest-free loan of Rs financial model pegging down senior official involved in the "This will help in economic chief guest G Jagadish Reddy, Minister for Energy, in presence of posed to be jointly set up by concluded that with a debt- 1,438 crore per year has been the power and water supply project pointed out. development of the region. Jogu Ramanna, Minister for Forest & Environment and Backward GAIL and HPCL, both cen- equity ratio of 2:1, the project suggested for a 15 year period rates, he said. Naidu, during his visit to The Centre is yet to Classes Welfare, Government of Telangana in the valedictory tral PSUs. will yield internal rate of return beginning from the Project Besides, an upfront VGF New Delhi in January, took up respond even to this plea," said session of the conference on February 16 After a feasibility study by of 9.8 per cent as against the Zero date," the official said. payment as soft loan was also the issue with Petroleum Min- the official. PTI 14 sport mp MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 LAJONG SET TO HOST AIZAWL IN NE DERBY UNIFIED KOREAN TEAM LOSE AGAIN KHSITIJ DROPPED FINALLY, KALRA ON HOLD SHILLONG: As the Hero I-League approaches its final leg, Shil- GANGNEUNG: Goalkeeper Shin So-jung pulled off NEW DELHI: The DDCA senior selection committee finally long Lajong FC will be looking to scavenge as many points as an astonishing 51 saves but was powerless to stop dropped controversial pick Khsitij Sharma from the 15--member possible when they take on current champions – Aizawl FC in the joint Korean women’s ice hockey team losing their Delhi squad for the knock out stage of Vijay Hazare Trophy. what is promised to be a thrilling match at the Jawaharlal Nehru fourth Olympic match on the bounce on Sunday. The However, U-19 World Cup hero Manjot Kalra has been kept on Stadium in Shillong on Monday. Shillong Lajong FC and Aizawl FC historic team which includes South Koreans and 12 stand by with young left-arm spinner Harsh Tyagi taking Khsitij’s are placed at 5th and 6th on the points table respectively with North Koreans cannot win a medal at the Pyeongchang place. Khsitij, who had been included in the squad during Syed 18 points each and it will be interesting to see which of these two Games and are now fighting for pride, having shipped Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, has attracted a lot of negative at- teams will emerge victorious in battle of the north-east. 22 goals and scored just once. tention as he was included bypassing proven performers. Mourinho sweats over ailing Pogba Jose worry on availability of injured star midfielder for CL match vs Sevilla, who defeat Palmas Wigan next in Man HUDDERSFIELD: Jose Mourinho faces an anxious Sevilla claim controversial win vs Las Palmas wait to discover whether Paul City’s quadruple chase Pogba can take part in Man- chester Uniteds midweek MADRID: Sevilla warmed up for their Champions Champions League last 16 trip League clash with Manchester United by winning WIGAN (UK): Manchester to Sevilla after he missed their 2-1 at Las Palmas in La Liga on Sunday, although City’s bid for a historic quadru- FA Cup victory over Hudder- they were aided by a controversial late offside call. ple rolls into Wigan for Mon- sfield Town. day’s FA Cup fifth round tie, An unspecified illness Real Madrid youth product Pablo Sarabia produced a with avenging a shock defeat saw Pogba withdraw on the great piece of skill to make space for a 35th-minute to the Latics in the 2013 final morning of Saturdays match shot that was saved by Las Palmas goalkeeper Le- also in mind. in Huddersfield, which andro Chichizola, and Wissam Ben Yedder netted the Pep Guardiola’s side have United won 2-0 thanks to two blown away any suggestion goals from Romelu Lukaku loose ball to put Sevilla ahead. Sarabia then turned injuries and fatigue could derail as they advanced into the in a cross by languid Argentine Franco Vazquez to their quest to win the Premier quarter-finals. double Sevillas lead five minutes into the second half League, Champions League, United manager Mourinho, in Gran Canaria. However, Jonathan Calleri pulled League and FA Cup by scor- whose relationship with club- one back for Las Palmas from the penalty spot after ing nine goals in their last two record signing Pogba has been matches. under close scrutiny in recent Alen Halilovic had been fouled by Miguel Layun, the A 5-1 victory over Leicester weeks, insisted he did not even Mexican former Watford full-back. last weekend extended City’s know what the illness was or And the islanders were denied a 93rd-minute equaliser when an extremely lead at the top how long the France mid- tight offside call went against them -- Alejandro Galvez looked to be level with of the Premier fielder may be unable to play, the last defender before putting the ball in the net. Las Palmas remain in the League to 16 having planned to play him in points, and that a 4-3-3 system that the player relegation zone. AFP was followed on City can deliver the considers his favourite. Tuesday with a first trophy of Guardio- “I dont know,” said 4-0 victory at Basel in the first la’s reign in charge next Sunday Mourinho when asked about But ahead of Saturdays are) problems like what hap- frustration when that decision leg of their Champions League against Arsenal in the League the nature of Pogbas illness match, Mourinho appeared pened today (Saturday) which goes against you.” last-16 tie. Cup final. after today’s match. prepared to meet the wishes go against the words of the Although Wagners side Even more good news for However, Guardiola has “When I was told by the of Pogba, who rejoined United protocol. benefitted from the VAR in Guardiola in Switzerland was warned against complacency doctor this morning that he from Juventus for £89.3 mil- “The words of the proto- this instance, the Huddersfield the return from injury of Leroy at League One promotion chas- was not coming, I dont want to lion ($123.5 million, 100.5 mil- col are something like a clear manager said he was against Sane, David Silva and Fabian ers Wigan, who have beaten know anything else about it -- lion euros) in August 2016, by and obvious situation and for the experimental system. Delph. two Premier LeagueW sides in I have to think who is going to playing him on the left side of sure it is not a clear and obvi- “I said immediately to Jose, Silva’s substitute appearance Bournemouth and West Ham replace him, what I am going a three-man midfield set-up. ous situation, but we know it during the incident, whatever was proof that he is over a hip to get to this stage. to do because we worked hard United still won comfort- is experimental and we have is decided, whether it goes in problem, while England util- “Of course I am concerned during the week.” The Por- ably, thanks to Lukakus dou- to accept, but I am speaking our favour or not, I dont like ity player Delph, a midfielder because I saw the game against tuguese boss added: “Now is ble, although victory could after a 2-0 victory,” he stressed. it,” Wagner explained. used largely as a left-back by Bournemouth,” Guardiola said. the time to think about Paul, have been even more emphatic “The feeling is a bit strange “The emotion is killed, the his club this season, made his “Bournemouth are one of the to know what happened, why but for video assistant referee and I was sharing it with David emotion in the stadium, the return after six matches out teams I like to watch the most he didnt feel good enough to (VAR) Neil Swarbrick ruling (Wagner) on the touchline stands, for us in the dug-outs. with a knee injury. in the Premier League. I think play, can he play or be available out a Juan Mata goal late in the which is the moment of doubt. It is killed. Thats why I dont Sane’s reappearance as a in the FA Cup there are a lot to help us on Wednesday?” first half in an incredibly close We score a goal, I cannot be like it,” the German added. second-half substitute came of surprises, not just this sea- Pogba has reportedly been offside call. happy. United have been drawn to well ahead of schedule as son or previous seasons, but all unhappy in recent weeks at the “It was my first experience “David concedes a goal but face Brighton in the last eight ankle ligament damage suf- throughout history you always style Mourinho has adopted, on the bench but we have VAR he doesnt know (quickly) if he -- a tie that revives memories fered in City’s last FA Cup out- have these kind of situations generally playing him along- in Portugal,” said Mourinho. goes to half-time at 1-0 or 2-0. of the 1983 Cup final when ing at Cardiff on January 28 was happening. It would be good side Nemanja Matic in a two- “It is amazing when the “So we have to adapt to that they eventually defeated the expected to keep the German for my players not to think too man midfield. truth comes but also (there waiting time and cope with the Seagulls after a replay. AFP out for six weeks. much of the final.” AFP Roma go 3rd; Inter sink in Genoa Mohun Bagan dent Federer lift 97th career title in style MILAN: AS Roma confirmed their return to form with a 2-0 win at Udinese to move third Goffin’s eye injury in Serie A as Inter Milan fell Neroca’s title hopes back into crisis with a 2-0 loss ROTTERDAM (NETH- in Genoa. IMPHAL : Birthday boy the deadlock. Singam Subhash ERLANDS): Grigor Inter had looked to have Dipanda Dicka notched a brace Singh robbed the ball of Kin- put their poor run going back and Akram Moghrabi netted shuk before chipping the ball Dimitrov moved two months behind them with the winner as Mohun Bagan over the custodian in the 16th into the final of the a 2-1 success against Bologna came out 3-2 victors over NER- minute to give his side a won- Rotterdam Open but the revival was short lived OCA FC at the Khuman Lam- derful start to the game. on Sunday as David as they suffered a fifth consecu- pak Stadium on Sunday. The celebrations of the Goffin was forced to tive defeat in Genoa. Felix Chidi and Singam first goal were cut short four Luciano Spallettis side, Subhash Singh scored the goals minutes later when Akram retire after he was hit who were top of Serie A two for the home side but weren’t Moghrabi released Dipanda in the eye by a ball months ago and unbeaten Inter defender Andrea Ran- Juventus have 65 points to hold their lead and allowed into the box. The striker was ROTTERDAM: Roger Federer than five years after he was last which bounced off his until December 16, are now occhia turned the ball into his from 25 games, two points the visitors to get back into the brought down before he could overpowered Grigor Dimitrov world No. 1. own racquet. fourth and could fall to fifth own net for Genoas first goal ahead of Napoli who host game. get his shot away by Bishorjit 6-2, 6-2 in less than an hour The 36-year-old Swiss After dropping the if Lazio, who lost last week- on the stroke of half-time with struggling SPAL later in the Felix Chidi was brought and the referee wasted no time today to win the ABN AMRO earned a return to the top when end to Genoa, beat Verona on former Inter forward Goran day. back into the lineup in place of in pointing to the spot. World Tournament, his 97th the rankings are updated Mon- first set 6-3, the Bel- Monday. Pandev scoring the second. Massimiliano Allegri’s side Nedo Turkovic as NEROCA Aser Dipanda stepped up career title. day, by reaching the semifinals gian fourth seed had Cengiz Under and Diego In Turin, Alex Sandro put -- held 2-2 by Tottenham in FC looked to win and stay on to hit the net for the tenth time Federer extended his dom- in Rotterdam. the worst of luck in Perotti scored in the second Juventus top of Serie A with a their Champions League home top of the Hero I-League table. this season and to level things ination over the player once Federer, who has 20 Grand the opening game. AFP half in Udine as Roma, with 1-0 derby win against Torino. tie in Turin this week -- were Sankarlal Chakraborty for Bagan. dubbed “Baby Fed” for the sim- Slam titles to his name, said 50 points from 25 games, jump Brazilian Sandro scored without injured Mario Mand- made three changes to his A failed overhead clearance ilarities in their playing style, his next target is 100 career two points ahead of Inter. after 33 minutes for the six- zukic, Blaise Matuidi and Juan side - Kinshuk Debnath, Yuto by Kinshuk allowed Tondonba registering his seventh victory titles. He moved a step closer Open, beating the Japanese Serie A leaders Napoli, who time defending champions Cuadrado, with Paulo Dybala Kinowaki and Mallick replaced to find Felix Chidi who did his in as many meetings. on Sunday. fifth seed in three sets in Long have 63 points, and champions who dominated despite being and Federico Bernardeschi Rana Gharami, Faiaz and best impression of a fox in the Federer’s third title at the In New York, South Afri- Island. Juventus, one point behind in weakened by injuries and los- starting on the bench. Raynier Fernandes. box by neatly slotting the ball Rotterdam tournament comes ca’s Kevin Anderson ended Kei Anderson downed Nishi- second, are both in action on ing top scorer Gonzalo Higuain Dybala made his comeback The hosts did not have to past Shilton to make it 2-1 in a day before he officially returns Nishikori’s hopes of a come- kori 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a gru- Sunday. to an early knock. from a hamstring injury AFP wait too long to break open the 24th minute. MPOST to the top of the rankings, more back victory at the New York elling battle. AGENCIES Chennaiyin, Jamshedpur share spoils Mumbai City stay alive in race

IMPHAL : Two substitutes combined keeper Karanjit Singh with a volley that KOLKATA: Mumbai City lead well till the halftime but to score in the 89th minute as Chennai- bounced just in front of him and entered FC registered a 2-1 win over after the restart, it didn’t take yin FC rallied to hold Jamshedpur FC the nets. ATK in the Hero Indian Super ATK much time to get back 1-1 and add an important point to their Jamshedpur FC have one of the League clash at Vivekananda into the game. Just two min- Hero Indian Super League points tally strongest defences in the league, conced- Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kol- utes into the second phase of at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai, ing the least number of goals (12) and kata on Sunday to stay in the play, Bipin Singh leveled the on Sunday. they reverted to their strategy of shut- hunt for a place in the playoffs. scoreline for the home side. Jamshedpur FC were running away ting down opposition. They defended Alexandre Guimarães side The goal came after a spell of with yet another victory after another in numbers and negated all the attacks, needed all three points from good play by ATK in the oppo- moment of brilliance from Wellington restricting Chennaiyin FC to some long the game and his side came up sition half. Conor Thomas, who Priori had given Steve Coppell’s side the rangers which went astray. with the goods. While the win up till then had a quiet night lead in the 32nd minute. The visitors However, Chennaiyin FC tasted suc- didn’t help Mumbai City FC picked up Singh with a delight- defended deep in the second session cess at the very end when two substitutes improve their position in the ful defense-splitting pass and but Mohammad Rafi eventually broke – Rafi and Mihelic – combined per- league table but it kept their he put the ball through MCFC through with one minute left to play. fectly during one of the many corners hopes alive. goalkeeper Amrinder Singh’s The goal, from a corner kick taken by that they won. Mihelic floated the cor- The Islanders now have 20 legs and into the goal. another substitute, Rene Mihelic, could ner tantalisingly into the box and goal- points from 15 games, and still, It looked Mumbai City FC prove to be crucial in the final analy- keeper Subrata Paul faltered by leaving have a chance of making it into ATK dominated the early will have to go away disap- sis while deciding the play-off places. his line and getting stranded midway. the top four. exchanges in the game but pointed from Kolkata but just Chennaiyin FC continue to be placed Rafi sensed the chance and finished After a sluggish start to the Anwar Ali’s needless push on barely minutes after having third with 28 points from 16 matches the move off with a wonderful looping game, Marcio Rozario brought Rafa Jordan on the edge of his conceded, Mumbai City was while Jamshedpur FC are fourth with header that sailed over defender Raju the game to life with a spec- own box provided Rozario the celebrating at the other end. In 26 points from 16 matches, leaving Yumnam into the goal. tacular freekick goal at the opportunity to have a strike on the 52nd minute, a corner from both with everything to fight for in the They should have got the lead early 32nd minute through Wellington, who During the five minutes of added half-hour mark to give Mum- goal, and he punished ATK for the left was partially cleared by remaining two matches. in the game when Jerry Mawihmingth- had scored a stunning bicycle kick goal time, both teams came close to secur- bai City FC the lead. Bipin it. The midfielder curled the ATK defense. Sanju Pradhan For most part it had looked like Jam- anga floated a ball from the right and against NorthEast United FC in the pre- ing the winner. Wellington’s snap shot Singh then equalised for Ash- ball into the top right-hand put the ball back into the dan- shedpur would notch their sixth win in found Farukh Choudhary at the far post. vious game. This time too the goal was was parried away by Karanjit while Jam- ley Westwood’s side early in corner of the goal despite ger area and Rafa Jorda was on seven matches. Steve Coppell’s side has Farukh, with a free header, directed it stunning as he made space for himself shedpur had a lucky escape as Mihelic’s the second half but the visitors goalkeeper Soram Poirie’s best hand for Mumbai City FC to made a remarkable late bid for a place in wide of the target. outside the box from a hasty clearance freekick saw Henrique Soreno late to regained their lead minutes efforts. glance the ball into far corner the play-offs and they started strongly. Jamshedpur FC got their goal in the and then surprised Chennaiyin goal- react with an open goal infront. MPOST later through Rafa Jorda. The visitors defended their of the goal. MPOST sport 15 MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 mp Dramatic collapse Carrying the momentum lead to Eves’ loss JOHANNESBURG: India’s Pooja Vastrakar picked up two Dhawan’s quickfire 72, coupled with Bhuvi’s fifer, continues India’s winning run into T20 format middle-order collapsed after a wickets, giving away just 21 fiery start as South Africa won runs from her four overs. the third Twenty20 Interna- Off-spinner Anuja Patil was tional by five wickets to keep a big let down for India today ABD ruled out the five-match series alive, here as she conceded 44 runs from on Sunday. her four overs and accounted of T20I series Indian women, eyeing their for just one wicket. maiden T20 series win in South Earlier put into bat, India Africa after winning the first were cruising at one stage two matches, collapsed to 133 with skipper Harmanpreet in 17.5 overs after being placed Kaur (48) punishing the home at a solid 93 for two in the 12th bowlers with her thunderous over. strokes. South Africa’s top-order Harmanpreet smashed two came out firing and over- sixes six fours in her 30-ball hauled the target with one over knock. to spare. However, once the aggres- They lost Lizelle Lee (5) sive Indian captain and early before skipper Dane van left-handed opener Smriti Niekerk (26 off 20) and Sune Mandhana (37) were dis- Luus (41 off 34) steadied the missed, the tourists lost wick- JOHANNESBURG: South ship. ets in a heap to be bowled out Africa's injury woes contin- After Van Niekerk’s dis- in 17.5 overs. ued with their star batsman missal, Luus and Mignon du After losing the seasoned AB de Villiers being ruled Preez (20) raised a 50-run Mithali Raj for a duck in the out of the three-match T20I stand for the third wicket to very first over, Harmanpreet series due to a knee injury lay the base for the comfort- and Smriti (37) added 55 runs here on Sunday. able chase. for the second wicket in quick De Villiers had suf- Chloe Tryon (34 off 15) also time. The partnership was bro- fered a blow to his left knee played a quick knock to help ken by Van Niekerk, who had a day before the fifth ODI. the home team’s cause. the Smriti caught by Moseline Johannesburg: India’s domi- Jon-Jon Smuts (14) and Hen- five-wicket haul. He became Though the former skip- For India, medium pacer Daniels. PTI nation in limited overs cricket dricks putting on 29 off 17 balls Shikhar Dhawan smashed his the second Indian bowler after per featured in the last two rolled on unabated as they can- as Jaydev Unadkat (1-33) was fourth Twenty20 half-century, while Chahal to pick up a fiver in games but he was absent tered to a 28-run victory over expensive in his opening spell. T20Is. He also became only when the Proteas trained South Africa in the first T20 Smuts skied one off Bhu- Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed his the third pacer after Pakistan’s yesterday. International, grabbing a 1-0 vneshwar and Dhawan took maiden five-wicket haul in T20I to Umar Gul (5/6) and Bangla- "He suffered a blow lead in the three-match series a well-judged catch at mid- desh’s Ahsam Malik (5/19) to to the knee while batting here on Sunday. on. Two overs later, Raina emerge as the architects of the victory at achieve this feat against South ahead of the fifth ODI, and Shikhar Dhawan smashed took a similarly well-judged the Wanderers. Africa in T20 cricket. although he passed a fitness his fourth Twenty20 half- catch running back from mid- Later Dane Paterson (0) was test on Friday, the injury century, while Bhuvneshwar wicket, this time sending back run-out, making it four wick- worsened significantly Kumar claimed his maiden JP Duminy (3) off Bhuvnesh- African innings. Heinrich Klaasen (16) ets in the 18th over. Andile throughout the match," five-wicket haul in T20I to war as well as the hosts man- Hendricks reached his threw his bat around as the Phehlukwayo (13) threw his Mohammed Moosajee, emerge as the architects of the aged only 41/2 at the end of the maiden T20 half-century off Proteas crossed 150. But Bhu- bat around but it was too much South Africa's team man- victory at the Wanderers. powerplays. 37 balls while Jasprit Bumrah vneshwar returned to deal in the end. ager, was quoted as saying Dhawan smashed a 39-ball Another skier, this time off (0-32) had a moment of bril- them a quick double blow, Earlier, Dhawan was by ESPNcricinfo. 72 studded with 10 fours and David Miller’s bat (9) was also liance at the boundary, pull- removing both Klaasen and lucky early in his innings. In In a release, Cricket two sixes to power India to taken by Dhawan as Hardik ing the ball back in with an Hendricks in the space of four the fourth over, the opener South Africa further said a challenging 203 for 5 after Pandya (1-45) reduced South acrobatic jump. But it was six balls. had tried to play a flick shot that de Villiers has been South Africa won the toss and Africa to 48/3. still, as per new rules, as his last In between, skipper Virat off Junior Dala and the ball advised rest to allow him elected to field. With a mountain to climb, touch was on the rope. Kohli left the field owing to a grazed his gloves. South Africa a full recovery ahead of the Pacer Bhuvneshwar then Hendricks was joined in the South Africa crossed 100 in left-hip problem and the team made an half-hearted appeal four-Test series against Aus- returned with figures of 4-0- task by Ferhaan Behardien the 12th over even as the asking physio is currently manag- but it was called a wide by the tralia starting in Durban on 24-5 as South Africa folded for who smacked 39 off 27 balls, rate touched 13 per over. ing his situation but the man- umpire. March 1 . 175 for nine, despite opener inclusive of three fours and Yuzvendra Chahal (1-39) agement said the issue is not On a batting beauty at the De Villiers had suffered Reeza Hendricks’s 50-ball two sixes. He put on 81 runs took some stick, but finally serious. Wanderers, Rohit Sharma (21 an injury to his right index 70-run innings. for the 4th wicket with Hen- managed to dismiss Behardien Meanwhile, Chris Mor- off 9 balls) and Dhawan got off finger during the third Test Chasing 204, South Africa dricks and brought some mea- and got the breakthrough India ris (0) was caught off the first to a flying start as they put on against India. PTI made a quick start with opener sure of stability to the South were looking. ball giving Bhuvneshwar his 23 off only 11 balls. PTI Smith looks Poms win in vain; Kiwis in Final ‘Ashwin, a role Lanka complete sweep forward to HAMILTON: An aggressive Dawson had claimed the model for today's Colin Munro belted New Zea- prized wicket of Kane Wil- land into the Twenty20 tri- liamson, New Zealand were youngsters’ pace challenge series final against Australia 108 for two with Guptill and despite England claiming their Mark Chapman primed to fin- CHENNAI: Former India with Bangladesh win JOHANNESBURG: A final round-robin match by two ish the innings off. wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani refreshed Australia captain Steve runs in Hamilton on Sunday. Dawson missed a caught- today praised star off-spin- SYLHET: Opener Kusal Men- Smith is looking forward to the Munro plundered the Eng- and-bowled chance from Gup- ner Ravichandran Ashwin for dis smashed a career-best challenge of taking on South land attack at the top of the till on 25 before he lashed out to his achievements and dedica- 42-ball 70 as Sri Lanka com- Africas fast bowlers in a four- New Zealand innings, equal- reach 62 off 47 balls before he tion to the game and said he pleted a tour sweep, sealing a Test series starting in Durban ling the sixth-fastest half-cen- was out in the 17th over. was a role model for today's 75-run win over Bangladesh in on March 1. His sentiment may tury of all time in crickets England skipper Morgan, youngsters. the second and final T20 inter- not be shared by the tailenders shortest form as he raced past who missed their last two "I have no words to express national on Sunday. of both teams, though. 50 in just 18 deliveries. matches because of a groin the achievements which Ravi- Sri Lanka also claimed the When Australia beat Eng- England, on the back of an strain, hit six sixes and four chandran Ashwin has done. My tri-nation one-day trophy and land 4-0 in their recent home unbeaten 80 by returning cap- fours in a crucial innings that heartiest congratulations to the took the Test series 1-0 in their Ashes series, the tourists tain Eoin Morgan, posted 194 ensured his side posted a com- would-be legend in the mak- one-and-half-month long Ban- lower order was blown away for seven after being sent into petitive score. ing," Kirmani said at a func- gladesh tour. by aggressive short-pitched bat. He went to the middle in tion here to present the 'Icon A second straight half-cen- bowling from pace trio Mitch- New Zealand, with Martin the fourth over when England of Chennai' award to Ashwin. tury of the series for Mendis ell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Guptill adding 62 and Hong were two for 24 and featured The former India 'keeper steered Sri Lanka to a hefty 210 Pat Cummins. Smith said on Kong-born Mark Chapman in a 93-run, nine-over stand also said Ashwin is the pride of -4, before the bowlers put on a Gunathilaka survived twice Tamim Iqbal added 29. Sunday he expected his bowlers unbeaten on 37, made 192 for with Dawid Malan who made Tamil Nadu and India and was fine display to dismiss Bangla- on 15 and 28 before he holed Pace bowler Shehan Mad- to “go down a similar path” in four in reply. whirlwind 57 in a big-hitting 53 -- his fourth half-century also a role model for the pres- desh for 135 in 18.4 overs. out to Tamim Iqbal at long-off ushanka and off-spinner Akila South Africa, even though the The narrow two-run mar- innings that included seven in five international Twenty20 ent day youngsters. Opener Danushka for 42. Dananjaya reduced Bangladesh hosts have the firepower to hit gin was not enough to save sixes and three fours. innings. "Ashwin is the pride of Gunathilaka made 42 while Thisara Perera joined Men- to 22-3 in three overs before back through Kagiso Rabada, an England side who had lost After New Zealands rollick- Opener Jason Roy made a Tamil Nadu and the country. Thisara Perera scored 31. dis to accelerate the innings opener Tamim Iqbal and cap- Morne Morkel and new find all their previous games in ing start, England spinners Adil flying start to the innings with He is a great role model to the Dasun Shanaka smashed an but Abu Jayed made him his tain Mahmudullah put on their Lungi Ngidi. the competition, and needed Rashid and Liam Dawson qui- 21 off 13 balls, while Dawson youngsters of today, the mil- 11-ball 30 not out towards the maiden wicket to stall the stand. Lankan bowlers were “There could be some good to win by 20 runs to overtake etened the pace through the and David Willey with 10 each lennials of today. He is such a end to help Sri Lanka propel progress. However, Shanaka abl1e to stem the run flow that short-pitched bowling from New Zealand on overall run- middle of the innings. were the only other players to gentleman cricketer. I deem it past 200. and Upul Tharanga (25) added resulted in the wicket of Tamim both sides, to the batters, to the rate to face unbeaten Australia New Zealand were 77 with- reach double figures. an honour to honour Ashwin," Mendis and Danushka 63 runs in the last five overs to for 29. Tamims dismissal virtu- tail, everyone from both sides,” in Wednesdays final. out loss after six overs when For New Zealand, Trent Kirmani added. Gunathilaka combined for help the side post a big total. ally sealed Bangladeshs fate. said Smith. “I think it’s great. Im New Zealand passed that Rashid came on and quickly Boult took three wickets at an He also hailed Ashwin for a 98-run partnership for the For Bangladesh, captain Madushanka and Danushka excited by it. You love coming up target at the start of the 18th claimed Munros wicket. expensive 50 runs while Tim dedicating himself in all aspects opening stand that set up the Mahmudullah was the sides Gunathilaka claimed two wick- against the best bowlers around over but the groundwork had Seven overs later, when Southee was economical with of the game and in academics platform for a big total. high scorer with 41 and opener ets apiece. AP the world. been laid by opener Munros Rashid was bowled out and two for 22. AFP too. PTI Hanyu not done after Winter Olympic double Gold haul

PYEONGCHANG: Japans As a teenager he watched in ried away as Hanyu swept to “Ice Prince” Yuzuru Hanyu has horror as a massive 2011 earth- gold. Russian Olympic athlete involved promised theres plenty more to quake caused the ice to crack The PM called Hanyu to come after he became the first beneath his skates as he prac- congratulate him and in a man to capture back-to-back tised in his hometown of Sen- phone call made public by the in meldonium doping case Olympic figure skating gold in dai in northern Japan. Japanese government admitted 66 years. Hanyu has already set his he had got so excited watching PYEONGCHANG: A Rus- athlete or the discipline until The 23-year-old broke the sights on his next goal -- the on television that he “almost sian athlete at the Pyeongchang the B-sample results, which are pain barrier in Pyeongchang quadruple axel, a jump so squashed a tangerine I was Winter Olympics has been expected within approximately after a brave free skate on Sat- technically difficult, since it holding to a pulp”. implicated in a doping case 24 hours.” urday that Hanyu revealed had requires four and a half mid- Hanyus successful defence involving the banned substance The International Olympic required painkilling shots to air rotations, that no skater has of the title he won in Sochi four meldonium, a source close to Committee suspended Russia help him land jumps on his yet managed to execute it. years ago broke the internet the situation said on Sunday. in December after revelations crocked ankle. “I couldnt nail my jumps with millions of tweets posted It comes after a spokesman of a widespread and highly “Ive achieved my dream but without painkillers and there within just an hour of his emo- for the Olympic Athletes from tral banner of Olympic Athletes orchestrated doping conspir- Ive got no plans to quit skating,” were moments I thought about tional victory. Russia said one of its compet- from Russia. acy, which first emerged before Hanyu told a news conference quitting,” he said of his sore An expectant Japan will itors committed a “possible A fresh doping case would the Rio 2016 Summer Games. on Sunday. ankle. celebrities. “I imagine more fake stories now wonder whether their violation of anti-doping rules”, be deeply embarrassing and Investigations found that “Honestly, I feel refreshed, “The injury was my big- “If Im being totally honest, will probably be written about hero will dare to dream of an according to Russian media. could affect deliberations on the doping plot, straddling sev- I feel satisfied -- I feel like Ive gest enemy. But I love skating I dont want people to hate me,” me in the future. But nothing Olympic hat-trick at the 2022 If the case is confirmed, it whether to lift Russia’s ban in eral years, culminated when done what I came here to do. and once I get my ankle right said Hanyu, who -- like foot- will change the fact Ive created Beijing Games. will come before the Court of time for the Pyeongchang clos- Russia hosted the Sochi 2014 It was a tough assignment but again I have just one thing left baller Hidetoshi Nakata and history and Im proud of that.” “I havent thought about the Arbitration for Sport, which is ing ceremony. Winter Olympics, where they if it had all been plain sailing to motivate me -- the quadru- baseball player Ichiro Suzuki Hanyus gutsy free skate, next Olympics,” said Hanyu. handling doping matters at the “Today the headquarters topped the medals table. maybe I wouldnt have been ple axel.” before him -- has increasingly which followed a flawless “Im just thinking of getting my Olympics and has an ad hoc of our delegation received an Russian athletes in able to win gold.” Despite Hanyu, who imposed a become a target for Japans sala- short programme a day ear- ankle healed properly.” division in Pyeongchang. official notice from the IOC Pyeongchang are under strict his slender frame and child-like media blackout as he trained in cious weekly magazines. lier, sparked “Yuzu-mania” in Hanyu did raise eye- Russia are banned from the regarding a possible violation instructions to honour the fixation with Winnie the Pooh, secrecy before the Games, also “The more people see you the crowd as a shower of stuffed brows after playfully pinching Olympics over systemic dop- of anti-doping rules,” Konstan- “letter and spirit” of guidelines Hanyu is a tough cookie, and gave a rare insight into the con- and the more you talk, the Pooh bears rained onto the ice. the cheek of silver medallist ing, but 168 Russian athletes tin Vybornov, spokesman for governing their participation, one who is perhaps lucky to be stant pressure he lives under as more they dislike you and write Even Japanese Prime Min- Shoma Uno while on the med- deemed clean are competing the Russian team said. including not waving the Rus- alive. one of Japans biggest sporting things about you,” he added. ister Shinzo Abe got a little car- als podium. AFP in Pyeongchang under the neu- “We are not naming the sian flag. AFP 16 Entertainment mp MILLENNIUM POST | Kolkata | Monday, 19 February, 2018 ‘Haven’t got the opportunity to prove my capability’ Kriti Kharbanda, who was last seen in Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana, says that her biggest struggle is to get the right platform to showcase her talent

MUMBAI: Bagging four Hindi films seeing your work and think you can of.” As an artiste who has been work- co-stars with Pulkit Samrat. within two years makes Kriti Khar- or cannot do it. I feel I haven’t got the ing in the film industry for nearly For the actor, the journey so far banda feel fortunate about her jour- right opportunity till date,” she says. a decade – her Telugu debut Boni – though rewarding – has also been ney but the actor says her biggest While her last Shaadi Mein Zaroor released in 2009 – her confidence “scary.” “I’ve come to a point where I struggle today is to get the right plat- Aana may not have worked at the box has often wavered after not getting believe in myself a lot more. I want to form to showcase her talent. office, the actor says the film changed the right project. get to higher places while being aware After making her Bollywood the way people within the industry “I used to have panic and anxiety that many would want to be where debut opposite Emraan Hashmi looked at her. attacks. I dealt with a lot two years I’m today. ,” she says. in Raaz Reboot, Kriti then worked “Shaadi...’ made people see me as ago. It was a difficult time. I was frus- Veerey Ki Wedding features Kriti with Paresh Rawal in Guest in Lon- an actor. A lot of filmmakers called trated. I had issues in both personal as a bride-to-be, almost immediately don and followed it up with Shaadi and said I was really good in the and professional life. I regretted my after her last release Shaadi... The Mein Zaroor Aana alongside Raj- film... People from the industry - decision of coming to Mumbai. I actor had earlier quipped that she kummar Rao. who never spoke to me, didn’t think thought may be I’m not meant for this now feels like a “professional bride” In an interview, Kriti says I was a great actor because they hadn’t industry. But it made me stronger. but she is unfazed that filmmakers the work with which filmmakers seen my work. “I am hoping some- Giving up wasn’t an option for me. If might stereotype her. “The challenge approach her “confuses her a little thing comes along and gives me that it was an option, may be, I would’ve is when you’re offered similar roles bit. I still feel the kind of work I want chance to prove what I am capable of. given up. Thank God, I didn’t,” she and you have to play them differently. to do, the roles I want to play haven’t This is definitely my biggest struggle, says. Kriti, eventually moved to I don’t want people to say ‘she per- come to me as yet. They (filmmakers) not having the right platform to be Mumbai and now is on to her fourth forms similarly in every film, there can form an opinion about you after able to do what I think I am capable film,Veerey Ki Wedding, in which she is no versatility.’” PTI Women I play on screen are an extension of me: Vidya

MUMBAI: Vidya Balan was that the film would be picked powerful women about a pregnant woman who characters even before comes to Kolkata to look for “female-centric cinema” her missing husband. became mainstream in Bol- “I found the story inter- lywood and the actor, who esting and said, ‘Let’s do it’. It has pioneered a change in the (climax) developed organi- concept of the Hindi film cally and when he narrated it heroine in the last decade, to me, it blew my mind. Peo- says her choices are often ple who were approached guided by her personal for the film were not told experiences. about the (twist) ending. Vidya has success- Only, Sujoy, me, cinema- fully established herself tographer, and the ADs as an actor par excel- knew about it. We kept lence with films such as it a secret,” she recalls. Parineeta, Ishqiya, The Vidya believes her Dirty Picture, Kahaani character of Krishna among others. in Ishqiya was some- But she says the films what similar to her BACHCHAN’S JOB that are among her personal role in Kahaani as favourites and have become both these women turning points in her career, end up “outsmart- application to work with are Kahaani, The Dirty Pic- ing” everyone else in ture and her last release the end. “Krishna in Tumhari Sulu. Ishqiya had a mysteri- Deepika, Katrina “Every film or role that ous, elusive quality to I have done has had some her. You do not know MUMBAI: Megastar Amitabh Bach- personal connect. All these what is going on in chan, who is known for his wit and women (characters) follow her mind. At the end, humour, has shared a “job applica- their heart and do exactly you realise that she tion” suggesting his name as a male what they want to do and in was using the two lead suitable for Deepika Padukone Olivia Wilde set to make directorial debut a way they were all an exten- men. Power was and Katrina Kaif, thanks to his height. sion of me,” Vidya told in an always about mind The 75-year-old star took to LOS ANGELES: Actor Olivia Gloria Sanchez, the female- to cram four years of fun into interview. game for her.” Talk- Twitter to post his resume against Wilde will make her directo- focused production banner one night. “I am a shy person. There ing about The Dirty a newspaper cutting that read how rial debut with Booksmart, wing of Gary Sanchez Produc- Wilde’s film credits include are two sides to me, when the Picture, Vidya said filmmakers found it tough to pair which will feature Kaitlyn tions, reports variety.com. Meadowland, which she also actor side comes out, I am dif- playing Silk helped Deepika and Katrina opposite Shahid Dever and Beanie Feldstein. The story follows Dever produced; Her and Rush. She ferent. I can do anything for her shed her prej- Kapoor and Aamir Khan. The film is being produced and Feldstein’s characters, also executive produced a the character but as a person udices about sex- “Job Application: Name: Amitabh by Annapurna Pictures and who, on the eve of their high slew of short documentaries, I am quite shy,” the actor adds. ual morality. Bachchan DOB: 11.10.1942, Alla- school graduation, two aca- including Oscar-nominated Vidya, 39, counts her por- “... I may not do it habad Age: 76 yrs Credentials: demic superstars and best Body Team 12. trayal of Vidya Bagchi in the as it is my choice Worked in films for 49 years, IN friends, suddenly realise that On the directing side, she Sujoy Ghosh-directed movie but that doesn’t APPROX 200 FILMS Speaks: Hindi, they should have worked less has helmed music videos for as one of her finest perfor- make it wrong if English, Punjabi, Bengali HEIGHT: and played more. Red Hot Chili Peppers and mances. She says the only someone else chooses 6’2’’... Available... YOU SHALL Determined never to fall Edward Sharpe and the Mag- brief that Ghosh gave her to do it. PTI NEVER HAVE HEIGHT PROBLEM!” tweeted Bachchan. The short of their peers, the girls netic Zeros. She will next be actor has worked with Deepika in Piku. He has collaborated with set out on a mission seen in A Vigilante Katrina on the 2003 film Boom and will next share screen space and Life Itself. IANS with her in Thugs of Hindostan, along with Aamir. PTI Lawrence wants to know this about Taylor Swift

Q&A earlier this week to promote her new film Red Sparrow, the 27-year-old revealed that if she was a spy in real life, she would use her skills to figure out “what’s going on” between the two, reports people.com. ‘I am a product “I’d like to know what’s going on with Karlie Kloss and Taylor Swift, that’s the honest to God truth,” she said, joking that trying to figure out of my mother’s “what happened” is “keeping me up at night”. Lawrence is likely referring to the fact disadvantages’ that one month after Kloss was accused of dissing Swift by captioning an Insta- LOS ANGELES: Octavia Spencer says gram post with a Katy Perry lyric, the model she owes her success in life to her mother, was spotted hanging out with the “Swish swish” Dellsena, whom the actor lost when she was singer here. 18. For the 45-year-old Oscar-winner, her Rumours of a fallout between the long time mother continues to be her biggest inspira- best friends first surfaced after Swift left Kloss’s tion, who did everything in her power to name off her “Junior Jewels” T-shirt in one of provide for her children in the best possible the scenes of her “Look what you made me do” manner. music video. “The woman who has inspired the most Other friends who were featured on the shirt is my mother. I am a product of her disad- included model Martha Hunt, actor Blake Lively, vantages in life, and she tried to make sure actor Ryan Reynolds, model Gigi Hadid, actor that we took advantage of all of the opportu- Lena Dunham, singer-actor Selena Gomez and nities that were afforded to us,” Spencer told singer Ed Sheeran. People magazine. But Kloss, who first met Swift in 2013 at the The Hidden Figures star says her mother LOS ANGELES: Actor Jennifer Lawrence wants Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, seemed to put taught her to be humble and hard-working. to know whether model Karlie Kloss and singer feud rumours to rest when she wished Swift a “We had more than she did, and a lot less Taylor Swift are still friends or not. During a happy birthday on Instagram in December. IANS than a lot of people, even to this day. So she is the one woman that I credit everything to,” she said. PTI