<<

'( 8" $    !)' 9      ' 9  9     "#56"7!',( )*)+ 0)-1 2 ,*)-./ !   2/","0",2 06"/ 60//,1,64/3162,2%/"/" *1$4*174 4/2 $45,50 .23 715707124/316 612 ,61,06 12$,%16 ?16,4,2,/"46 $4"460.316/,,2751 ./41 "4/"155602$46 $461$02 =$46171$>,*1=31$1 5   23:""4 ; <1/ 4 1 ! 1% /(/&/!81!//                                                         243$45, ! " #    $ %          arnataka on Wednesday       ' Kjoined the list of States reporting infectious Delta Plus   variant of Covid-19, a mutat-  ed version of highly contagious ($  ) Delta variant, taking the total      number of reported cases to 46   *    across the country, more than  *10      doubling a day after the report-       ed 22 cases on Tuesday. +     he return of political nor- Maharashtra tops the list so    ,$' Tmalcy in Jammu & far with 21 cases followed by Kashmir and conduct of elec- Kerala and Madhya Pradesh    tions will largely depend on the which are already on alert. outcome of the crucial all- The Centre has issued them    #   )  0'(   1     P!"#  ". ,  O  party meet convened by the advisory amid concerns over   .   Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely third wave of the pan-    !    with the leaders of the Union demic in the country in the Delta Plus virus is prevalent in Ministry and a further course    $  Territory in New Delhi on next few months. Presently, the nine countries across the world of action is being planned. /0    Thursday. —the US, the UK, Portugal, The Minister said the State 1 .#   ' Former Jammu & Kashmir   Switzerland, Japan, Poland, Government is monitoring the Chief Minister and PDP chief   Nepal, China, and Russia. emergence of new variants and    Mehbooba Mufti arrived in However, the Delta variant has it has decided to set up six  $  Delhi on Tuesday. Though the been detected in 80 countries. genome labs in the State. meeting is taking place in the    $%&&%'!%('( Detected for the first time “Wherever we have a suspicion,               P         . 2  national Capital, the security )*+$%,&!- in and now known as we are doing genomic sequenc- has been beefed up all across       !"  #                “Variant of Concern”, experts ing. We are doing random /        $%&'( ) #        #       *  3       the Union Territory of J&K. A $%./%&&()*!%$!$- fear that the virus may be checks of five per cent of the high alert has also been sound- "  +,- ". lurking in more parts of India, total samples checked.”       /%.&%++%&+'       O   ed along the Line of Control for which genome sequencing The strain has been tagged      and the International border to same roof with the Prime Inside reports suggested measure. )*,0%+0.- is a key to detect these cases. as a “Variant of Concern” by      ' prevent any misadventure from Minister to share their opinions the Central Government is The same demand has They said it is just a matter of the Centre. anti-national elements at this and give suggestions to kick- keen on pushing the agenda of been raised by the leaders from   ,%//%+., time when more cases will “The new Delta Plus vari-    crucial juncture. start the stalled “internal” dia- timely completion of process of both the regions and the Union trickle in from other States. ant of the coronavirus is  P   After the abrogation of logue process. delimitation of Assembly con- Government too is committed (+'%.0%+'0)*!&%&,,- Karnataka Health Minister extremely transmissible, and Article 370 on August 5, 2019, Now the question arises in stituencies so that Assembly to grant statehood to J&K at an Dr K Sudhakar Karnataka on even walking next to a Covid-      /'%(/%/(')*!/%0'0-  $   it is for the first time that more the absence of any concrete polls can be organised in due appropriate time. Wednesday confirmed the two 19 patient who is a carrier of than one dozen leaders from agenda of the meeting, whether course of time. Voices have Sources said that while the cases, one of which is from this variant without a mask 2      ,   P/'%!.%(,+)*(%($,-     !   the region, including four for- the Centre Government would been raised in support of Centre may agree to restore Bengaluru, while the other is may lead to the spread of mer Chief Ministers and four be able to break the ice or the restoring the statehood of statehood to J&K minus from Mysuru. He said that the infection,” AIIMs director !     /(%($%(!+)*,%+.,-         Deputy Chief Ministers, would mainstream leaders would Jammu and Kashmir as part of Ladakh, it will not bring back information has been shared Randeep Guleria said to a be sitting together under the return home empty handed. biggest confidence building Article 370 at any cost. with the Union Health news channel.    '  !(%$$%$,,)*+''- 1230)4"54,+ ,6 7      O2  7 #P   

    government’s proposal. Appealing to the MLAs the move as “horse-trading” Congress MPs, and some of Capt Amarinder had made it ple are giving political colour 12$,%16 Even as the party high not to accept the jobs being Moreover, Youth the MLAs from Ludhiana, clear that there was “no ques- to this decision”.     command was engaging in offered to their sons, Congress president Barinder have backed the State tion of rescinding the Punjab Available information ongress party, it seems,      resolving the power struggle Gidderbaha MLA Warring Singh Dhillon also expressed Government’s decision, call- Cabinet decision on jobs for suggests that the AICC three- Chas switched into a dam-    between the top Punjab lead- stated that it would “amount dissatisfaction with the move ing it “correct and in line with sons of two Congress MLAs. member panel had also age control mode as the con- ers, a new controversy hit the to cheating with the common saying that the needy need it appointments given to simi- It is just a small token of grat- sought the Chief Minister’s troversy over giving Govern-     party and the State man”. first. larly situated persons in the itude and compensation for clarification on the decision ment jobs to the two legisla-    Government hard over the Pargat Singh had, in fact, On the other hand, nine past”. the sacrifices of their families. during the three-hour long tors’ sons on “compassionate Cabinet’s decision to give jobs gone to the extent of calling Cabinet ministers and four Defending the decision, It's shameful that some peo- meeting a day before. grounds” refused to die down,   to sons of two Congress dividing the Punjab party    MLAs. unit. Five Cabinet Ministers — As a part of the same,    !"#$ Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Qadian MLA Fatehjung Tripat Rajinder SIngh Bajwa, Bajwa has turned down the Razia Sultana, Charanjit State Government’s job offer Pandey’s father Joginderpal Singh Channi, Sukhbinder to his son Arjun Fatehjung Pandey was killed by terror- Singh Sarakaria, Chanrjit Bajwa. At the same time, the ists in Ludhiana when insur- Singh Channi — have party leadership is also gency was at its peak in opposed the move. reportedly in talks with Punjab. Besides, Punjab Congress Ludhiana North MLA Rakesh Fatehjung Bajwa, it has president Sunil Jakhar, dub- Pandey expecting the same. been learnt, has given in writ- bing the decision as “wrong”, Notably, the Cabinet, in ing to the party high com- had requested the Chief its June 18 meeting, has mand that he does not require Minister for its review. Other decided to appoint sons of a government job for his son. than that, Congress MLAs two Congress MLAs — Arjun Sources informed The Kuljit Nagra, Amarinder Pratap Singh Bajwa Pioneer that Punjab party Singh Raja Warring, Pargat (Fatehjung Bajwa’s son) as affairs in-charge Harish Singh, Harjot Kamal, have Punjab Police Inspector; and Rawat has approached the also questioned the govern- Bhisham Pandey (Rakesh Qadian MLA asking him to ment’s move, besides Navjot Pandey’s son) as Naib give in writing that he did not SIngh Sidhu and Pargat Singh. Tehsildar on “compassionate require the job. On visit to Fatehgarh Sahib MLA grounds” as “special cases”. Delhi a day before, Fatehjung Nagra had stated that the The move came more handed over the letter to people’s representatives must than 30 years after both the Rawat. Reports are that Rawat work for the people and not appointees had lost their would also talk to Pandey to for personal gains. “The respective grandfathers in ter- follow the suit. Cabinet should rollback the rorist attacks in 1987. While Notably, Fatehjung’s elder decision. We should meet the Fatehjung’s father, Satnam brother and party’s Rajya promise of ‘Ghar Ghar Singh Bajwa, who was also the Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa Naukri’ instead of giving jobs former Minister, was killed in had appealed to the two to the kin of MLAs who ’t a terrorist attack in Amritsar; Congress MLAs to reject the need it,” he had stated. R 2  9  #$  % $ &     + : - :  1 071,  .5.1"1 democracy and the functioning ohammed Rizwan Iqbal of the Assembly. Despite being MHasan Shaikh Ibrahim ith the relationship passed by the Assembly, sever- Kaskar, nephew of Karachi- Wbetween Governor al Bills are lying with the based underworld don Jagdeep Dhankhar and Chief Governor as he has not signed Kaskar, was Minister Mamata Banerjee con- them. This is unprecedented in on Wednesday arrested by the tinuing to deteriorate in the the history of ’s Narcotics Control Bureau wake of his regular talk about the parliamentary democracy. Such (NCB) in connection with a worsening law and order situa- a thing has never happened drug-related case. Armed with tion, Bengal Assembly Speaker before,” he said. a production warrant, the NCB Biman Banerjee has reached Supporting the Speaker’s picked up Iqbal from Thane out to Speaker Om contention, senior TMC MLA prison — where he has been Birla accusing Raj Bhavan of reg- Tapas Roy said, “Biman has lodged for past five years — ular “interference” in the pro- done the right thing by bringing and taken to the NCB head- ceedings of the House. it to the notice of the Lok Sabha quarters for questioning. After In a virtual meeting, the Speaker so that even he can see several hours of questioning, Bengal Speaker has accused the how democratically our Kaskar was placed under arrest. Governor of needlessly with- Governor has been working.” Kaskar’s name had cropped holding the Bills passed in the Reacting to the issue during the interrogations of State Assembly. CPI(M) central committee several accused arrested in “I told the Lok Sabha member Sujan Chakrabarty, connection with the seizure of Speaker about the excessive however, held both the sides drugs made in central . interference of Governor guilty of failing to accommodate Detailed report on P5 Dhankhar in parliamentary each other.    !" # $  % Chandigarh: Former Haryana Chief ing a 10-year prison term in a teacher Delhi Government has granted a six- granting a six-month special sion of six months to convicts pleted nine years and six Minister and Indian National Lok Dal recruitment scam case and is out on month remission of sentence. The Delhi remission to those who have who are sentenced for 10 months of custody including chief Om Prakash Chautala, who is serv- parole, will be freed from Tihar jail as the government passed an order on Monday served nine-and-half years of years and have already com- regular remission. PNS their 10-year prison sentence to decongest jails in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Since the 86-year-old former Chief Minister has already served nine years and nine months of his sentence, he is eligible to get out of prison,” Chautala's lawyer Amit Sahni told the media- persons. Sahni said that the Tihar Jail Authority has communi- cated that the Government of GNCT of Delhi has passed an order regarding special remis-

                                                                                                                                               !        "                                            #            $ % S                      '                "       (          

                      !     "   # $% % & '   (  )*+  ( + %$**)* , - *%.)+/$*01/.    2  (    ((   - )) 3 /4  +22 2       5    !6      7 !6     27 87579!  7%** ! 6    7   :  -6  ;6    3    6 (  3     6  <   ' #6 - $  9   :       =    ( -: '+%%* **) 6 *%%+/*%%*/>>    #6 &+0%  $ -#2' 9    - ( +)*%0*% 8 6 *%)*+/1.41** 3 /1.44**  : #6 / &     (  & ?  7   :+))$ *%$ , 6 *>))+)0/$//0+/>    !" # $             

strong objection against Sidhu’s ings and met Punjab Congress Gandhi, is taking up the mat- When asked about the pos- called advisers….those who party’s face in 2022, Bajwa said “two families taking advantage president Sunil Jakhar, finance ter,” he said. sibility of changing the state have come close to the Chief that is for the leadership to in the state” remarks, regarding minister Manpreet Singh Badal Jakhar said that during the Congress president, Jakhar said Minister in the past few decide. which the high command has and Rajya Sabha MP Pratap meeting, discussions were held that the issue was not of the days…They are actually “I have told Rahul about also sought details. Singh Bajwa mainly to take a on the ways of strengthening state president, but how to putting the office of the Chief my assessment and about how   12$,%16 party leaders from Punjab for Pressure seems to be first-hand feedback of the pre- the party and sorting out all the win the elections unitedly. Minister in a spot.” genuine the grievances of some the third consecutive day, mounting on Capt Amarinder vailing situation and ground differences of opinion between Also expressing displea- Capt Amarinder’s bête noire leaders are. We held threadbare day after Punjab Chief including the state Congress with the party high command realities in the state after the the senior leaders. “And the sure with Sidhu's recent state- and Rajya Sabha MP Pratap discussions on every issue and AMinister Capt Amarinder president Sunil Kumar Jakhar, taking a tough stand, and con- infighting escalated. seriousness with which Rahul ments, Jakhar said that the Bajwa, who also met Rahul I suggested my solution on how Singh was given a deadline to Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh veying it to the Chief Minister Downplaying the ongoing is watching the issue, I am con- former Minister should reach Gandhi, said that he discussed to win the state,” Bajwa said. fulfill all pre-poll promises by Bajwa, and Finance Minister that he has to fulfill all the crisis in the state party unit fident of an early solution. The out to Rahul Gandhi and make the ground reality and current While the high command the All India Congress Manpreet Singh Badal. Rahul promises made to the people after meeting Rahul Gandhi, Congress will politically revive his point. He added that Sidhu political situation in the State. has set up a three members Committee (AICC) three- Gandhi also met Punjab party before elections before the state Punjab Pradesh Congress from Punjab,” said Jakhar, is under discussion by the “The MLAs and Ministers, committee to resolve the crisis member panel, the senior affairs’ in-charge Harish Rawat goes to 2022 polls. Committee (PPCC) president adding that he would not let it party leadership. who want to fight elections in in Punjab congress unit, Congress leader returned to who apprised him of panel’s Even as Rahul Gandhi con- Jakhar said that the main issue go the or Madhya At the same time, Jakhar Punjab, have discussed with the Congress’ former national pres- Chandigarh without meeting meeting with the Chief tinued to meet the state party under consideration is how to Pradesh way. maintained that the Cabinet’s leadership the ways to get ident Rahul Gandhi take upon the Gandhis — Congress inter- Minister. leaders, especially those criti- make the party come together On the question of Capt recent decision regarding gov- reelected…We spoke about the the charge to defuse the tension im president Sonia Gandhi, At the same time, taking cizing the Chief Minister, a ren- for the next assembly elec- Amarinder returning to Punjab ernment job to the sons of current political situation of in the state unit and held par- party vice-president Rahul strong note of the recent state- dezvous with Capt Amarinder tions and emerge victorious. without meeting the Congress MLAs on “compassionate Punjab, where we stand elec- allel talks with the disgruntled Gandhi, and general secretary ments by the Congress MLA was not on his list. “After meeting Rahul ji, I high command, Jakhar said grounds” was wrong and could torally, what are the expecta- leaders and now holding one Priyanka Gandhi — common- and firebrand leader Navjot am hopeful that this issue will that the agenda of his visit is not be defended. tions of the people from us, and on one meeting with several ly addressed as the party high Singh Sidhu, the high com- 1 9 be resolved very soon consid- only to meet the three-member Mincing no words, Jakhar what are the expectations of the MLAs, Ministers, MPs, includ- command. mand may also summon the  ering the level of seriousness panel, led by Leader of said: “Few wrong people are state leaders from the high ing those who have openly On the other hand, Rahul former cricketer soon. Notably, Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi with which the high com- Opposition in Rajya Sabha making Captain sahib to take command,” said Bajwa. spoke against the Chief Gandhi continued meeting the the Chief Minister lodged continued his one on one meet- mand, especially Rahul Mallikarjun Kharge. such decisions…they are so On who would be the Minister. ."  -# : =   %>  12$,%16 -. -/ 01/12&  an illegal act. Bains said the Punjab and Badal’s political adviser Haryana high court had stated  12$,%16 Centre well in advance for Benefit Transfer (DBT) during day after the Punjab place on October 14, 2015. cial residence for nearly two and Harcharan Singh Bains said that that former IG Kunwar Vijay timely procurement of gunny KMS 2021-22. For procure- AGovernment’s constituted Besides the senior Badal, the half hours. the former Chief Minister also Partap, who was a member of the unjab Chief Minister Capt bags (bardana) besides ensur- ment, the Department func- Special Investigation Team (SIT), probe panel has already ques- High drama was witnessed questioned the SIT on why it earlier SIT, politicized the probe. PAmarinder Singh on ing requisite logistics including tions through its Anaaj Kharid probing the Kotkapura police fir- tioned the then Director General when the former Chief Minister could not widen the probe to Therefore, Badal told the SIT that Wednesday directed the Food transportation and labour for Portal which has registered ing incident, questioned the for- of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh questioned the presence of non- investigate the Congress and after the High Court remarks, it and Civil Supplies Department un-interrupted lifting of paddy nearly 10 lakh farmers, 24,000 mer Chief Minister Parkash Saini. SIT member — a retired the AAP hand in sacrilege con- needed to be probed at whose to ensure elaborate arrange- so that the farmers could get arhtiyas (commission agents), Singh Badal, it summoned his The SIT is probing that who Director Prosecution Vijay Singla spiracy to defame and destabilize behest had Kunwar tried to vil- ments in place for smooth and payment of their produce with- and 4000 millers. son and SAD president Sukhbir gave the clearance to the district during questioning. Sources said the then Akali government. ify the Akalis and Sikhs against hassle-free paddy procurement in the stipulated timeline. As many as 1.51 crore eli- Singh Badal for questioning on police for opening firing at the that Badal objected to Singla Badal was Chief Minister of them, he said. during Kharif Marketing The Food and Civil gible beneficiaries have been June 26 (Saturday). mob protesting sacrilege inci- questioning him since he was not Punjab when the incident of The earlier SIT, headed by Season (KMS) 2021-22. Supplies secretary Rahul Tiwari distributed wheat through The SIT has summoned dents and if the police action was a SIT member while Akali lead- police firing at Kotkapura and then ADGP Prabodh Kumar, The Agriculture has also been asked by the online mode under NFSA, Sukhbir Badal as he was the justified. ers said that the DIG cannot be Behbal Kalan had taken place in including then IG Kunwar as its Department has fixed the tar- Chief Minister to ensure speedy 2013. Deputy Chief Minister and The Punjab Police SIT, led replaced for questioning by the October 2015 following protests member, had questioned Badal get of 197.47 lakh metric distribution of foodgrains to Under Pradhan Mantri Home Minister when the by ADGP LK Yadav, questioned retired director of the prosecu- over the sacrilege of Guru on November 16, 2018, in the tonnes (LMT) of paddy pro- the beneficiaries. Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna’s Kotkapura police firing took SAD patriarch Badal at his offi- tion department and that it was Granth Sahib. same case. duction during current KMS Taking part in the deliber- (PMGKAY) Phase-I and with sowing of crop over 30 ations, Food and Civil Supplies Phase-II of Wheat and Pulses lakh hectares across the State. Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Phase-III of Wheat, addi- Notably, the Department assured the Chief Minister that tional allocation to all 1.41 successfully procured 202.83 the Department would leave no crore NFSA 2013 beneficiaries LMT paddy in Kharif stone unturned to ensure has been made. Apart from Marketing Season 2020-21 and timely and seamless procure- this, 14 lakh food packets 132.10 LMT wheat in Rabi ment of paddy during KMS under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Marketing Season 2021-22 2021-22 like previous nine Scheme, 17 lakh dry ration (RMS 2021-22). consecutive procurements of packets were distributed to The Chief Minister, chair- both Rabi and Kharif since needy from State Disaster ing a high level meeting to March 2017. Response Fund (SDRF) under review the functioning of the Tiwari, making a brief pre- CM COVID Relief Program Department through video sentation, apprised the Chief and one lakh additional conferencing, also asked the Minister that the Department food packets are under distri- Food and Civil Supplies has already developed a soft- bution to Covid-19 positive Department to tie up with ware to implement Direct patients.  ), ;<(              0          

 1",151 month -- June-2020 though   record highest ever consump- MD, PSPCL, A.Venu tion of 3018 lakh units was  12$,%16 CPrasad on Wednesday said recorded in the month of July Punjab state power corporation 2020. The highest ever demand aryana on Wednesday limited has purchased 879 MW of 13606 MW was however, Hreported 19 covid deaths of Power from Power exchange recorded in the month of July which raised the toll to 9,314, at the rate of RS 3.85 per unit of the year 2019. while 174 fresh cases pushed the- which will help in meeting the The CMD said that count to 7,67,900, according to increased power demand in presently generation from inter an official bulletin. The new state due to hot summer and state generating stations is run- fatalities include two each from Paddy season. ning about 600 to 700 MW Gurugram, Panipat and Hisar PSPCL has made arrange- short compared to last year due districts, the health department's ments to meet the demand up to low hydro potential and daily bulletin said. Jind report- to 13,700 MW. The purchase of outage of 400MW from four ed 27 fresh cases and Palwal 20. power from the exchange is thermal units of Coastal The number of cases stands at mainly due to failure of one Gujarat Power Ltd. 2,160. The recovery count unit of Talwandi Sabo thermal (CGPL)Mundra. Also 615 MW reached 7,56,426 in Haryana plant at Mansa. It met the unit of state IPP Talwandi Sabo which has a recovery rate of highest power demand of power plant, Mansa is under 98.51 %, according to the bul- 12805 MW and recorded con- forced outage. letin. sumption of 2901 lakh units on He also added that this June 22 in the current paddy deficit has to be arranged on ($ %! season. Prasad said that the day to day basis in order to ful- Chandigarh on Wednesday demand is expected to rise fur- fill the demand. This deficit is reported 43 cases of Covid, tak- ther in the coming weeks. being arranged by procuring ing the infection tally to 61,520. He said that last year max- power on a day to day basis One more death was reported at imum demand and consump- from the market, limited to GMSH-16 due to coronavirus, tion remained at 12683 MW transmission constraints of the taking the city's toll to 807, and 2822 lakh units in the same national grid. according to a medical bulletin. & '     (   P   *  + ,  12$,%16 Departments where they find planting three crore saplings better opportunities to excel. this year under Saghan Van aryana Chief Minister He pointed out that the Yojana, he said. HManohar Lal Khattar on government has formulated an As part of this, trees will be Wednesday said that the players excellent policy to promote planted on Panchayati land in who will secure medals in inter- sports. Under this policy, along rural areas and Government national sports events will be with 3 percent reservation, gov- land in urban areas. This year, given government jobs so as to ernment services are being pro- more and more trees will be encourage them and incentivise vided according to the medals planted and Oxy-vans will be budding players. won by the sportspersons. Apart developed, he added. The Chief Minister was from this, the State Government interacting with Olympic medal- is enhancing sports infrastruc- ,  1  ists on International Olympic ture along with renovation of       Day here. The Minister of State sports stadiums to promote Haryana Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs, sports activities, he added. for Sports and Youth Affairs Sandeep Singh was also present He said that Khelo India Sandeep Singh informed that 30 on the occasion. Khattar said that Games will provide better oppor- players from the state have been besides getting government jobs tunities to the young generation selected for the upcoming Tokyo in the Sports Department, inter- to excel in the field of sports. Olympic Games. Rs 5 lakh has national level medal winning The Chief Minister further been provided to each of these sports persons would be appoint- said that the Sports Department players as preparation amount, ed on deputation basis in the has taken a good decision to he said. The Minister said that Education Department as well as plant saplings on International a cash amount of Rs 6 crore will in other Departments. Olympic Day. The government be given for gold medal winners He said that if sportspersons has made laborious efforts to in the Olympic Games, Rs 4 excelling in their field are meet the need of oxygen supply crore for Silver medal winners appointed as coaches or trainers during the second wave of and Rs 2.50 crore for bronze then young sportspersons can be Covid-19 pandemic. Now, more medal winners. He said on the greatly benefited. Extending attention has been paid to plant- occasion of International greetings on International ing trees to improve the envi- Olympic Day, 11,000 saplings Olympic Day, he said that ronment. The Forest will be planted in the sports com- sportspersons should join such Department has set a target of plexes of Haryana.    !" # $  3

# $$          31 * P;'!'&        

$%  &      243$45, he Enforcement  243$45, N,       243$45, least, 41,23,073 vaccine doses TDirectorate (ED) has pro- were administered as first visionally attached 101 land he Government on ountrywide Covid-19 vac- dose and 68,903 vaccine doses parcels and one helicopter TWednesday strongly felt  :9B  O Ccination numbers contin- given as second dose in the age worth 81.10 crore in a that the number of cases in the ued to remain less than the day group 18-44 years on money laundering probe third wave will not be to the  243$45, by senior Union Health one figures. On Wednesday, Wednesday. against the Unitech Group. extent that the health system Ministry official Veena the tally stood at 58.34 lakh “Cumulatively, 7,02,11,075 The attached land parcels comes under strain if people f you have been vaccinated Dhawan at an event here. vaccine doses till 7 pm in the persons across 37 States/UTs are situated in Santacruz, religiously followed Covid Ithen likely chances are that She also said there was no evening as per the Union have received their first dose Mumbai and are owned by appropriate behaviour (CAB) you are protected from the evidence that supports inter- Health Ministry statement. and a total 14,98,113 have the Shivalik Group. The heli- and States wisely implement- coronavirus for the next six- changeability of vaccines’ This is much less when received their second dose copter is owned by King ed containment strategies. nine months. This was stated brands. compared to the first day of since the start of Phase-3 of the Rotors Air Charters Pvt Ltd., “At least 2.2 per cent of the revised phase of vaccina- vaccination drive.” an associate company of @        India’s population has been tion drive launched from June Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Shivalik Group. affected by the disease so far. 21 when the country reported Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, The ED probe revealed This should also make us wary will put the health system Responding to a question a record number of over 84 Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, that Unitech Group had       !  of protecting the still vulnera- under strain,” he said. on the effectiveness of cocktail lakh shots administered to Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya diverted ‘Proceeds of Crime’ ble or susceptible 97 per cent Noting that one of the vaccines or mixing different the citizens. On Tuesday also, Pradesh, Maharashtra, to the tune of 574 crore to New Delhi: Famous fashion cash by the politician for population. We cannot let our challenges being faced in the vaccine doses, senior ministry the vaccination process cov- Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, the Shivalik Group and in designers , designing the dresses for a guards down, hence, continued anti-Covid vaccination pro- official Veena Dhawan said as ered only around 51 lakh peo- Telangana, Odisha, Uttar turn, the entities of Shivalik Sabyasachi Mukherjee and wedding ceremony a few years focus on containment is criti- gramme is vaccine hesitancy, per the evidence available, the ple in the country. Pradesh and West Bengal have Group had purchased the Ritu Kumar have been asked back. “And there was no record cal,” Union Health Ministry Agarwal said many beneficia- vaccines are not “interchange- “More than seven crore administered more than 10 land parcels and helicopter by the Enforcement of the cash transaction in their Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal ries, especially in rural and able”. vaccine doses have been reg- lakh beneficiaries of the age from this. Directorate (ED) to appear IT returns. said at a media workshop tribal areas, fail to get them- “A full analysis is yet to be istered so far for those in the group 18-44 years for the first On March 4, the ED had before it to record their state- So they have been called to organised by UNICEF in part- selves vaccinated owing to made on the subject. Cocktail age group 18-44 so far,” said dose of Covid vaccine, so far, conducted searches at 35 loca- ments in connection with present their side,” the source nership with the Ministry on myths, rumours, misinforma- vaccination is not to be fol- the statement. said the statement. tions in NCR and Mumbai on some cash payments made to said. However, the source did the need to bust myths about tion and disinformation about lowed and we should take the Overall the cumulative Talking about the infec- the premises of Shivalik them a few years ago by a not name the politician. vaccines and vaccination and Covid-19 vaccine shared on same doses of the vaccine,” she Covid vaccination coverage tion rate, the statement said Group, Trikar Group, Unitech politician in Punjab. Malhotra, Mukherjee and reinforce the importance of social media. stressed. of the country crossed 30 that India has reported Group and Carnoustie Group. An ED source related to Kumar are known for their CAB. “While busting myths is On Adverse Event crore (30,09,69,538), as per the 50,848new cases in the last 24 “After analysis of seized the probe told IANS, “A notice designer collection in India as “If we keep following con- important, it is also critical to Following Immunisation 7 pm provisional report. At hours. records followed by the dis- has been sent to the three fash- well as in other countries. tainment and Covid appropri- remind communities about (AEFI), Dhawan said the first closures of various persons, ion designers to appear before Many corporates and ate behavior, then the third the role of Covid appropriate 30 minutes post vaccination the above diversion of the ED.” personalities wear wave, even if it comes, will not behaviour in breaking the virus are crucial. kept under observation. are mostly seen in the first 30 Proceeds of Crime has been The source said that the dresses designed by them. have the number of cases that transmission chain,” he said. “That is why people are Serious or severe side effects minutes,” she added. unearthed,” the agency said. three designers were paid in IANS O2 %%     6  / )         8( (  P            -7P   !  243$45,  "  243$45, sure to vocational education. Employment was also held O    P It also provides for vocation- virtually. G20 Ministers oga guru Baba Ramdev on  243$45, he Centre on Wednesday al education to be aligned to exchanged views on YWednesday approached the Tat the G20 Education skill gap analysis and mapping transitions from school to Supreme Court seeking a stay  243$45, o make it more accessible to Ministers’ meeting said that of local opportunities,” said work. Sanjay Dhotre repre- on the proceedings in multiple Tevery rural household, a the National Education Policy Minister of State for sented Ministry of Education cases lodged against him in var- ccusing the Nehru- new LPG connection can now (NEP) 2020, envisages equi- Education Sanjay Dhotre at in the meeting. Ministry of ious States over his remarks on with intent to provoke breach Aled Congress be booked through the table and inclusive education the virtual conference of G20. Labour and Employment was allopathy and its treatment of the peace) and other provi- Government of “ignor- Common Service Centre (CSC). for all, with special focus on India attaches great represented by MoS protocol for Covid-19. sions of Disaster Management ing” the demand for a The CSC has taken the lead in children and youth, especial- importance to the collabora- (Independent Charge) In his petition, Ramdev Act, 2005 in many States based probe into the death of helping Centre’s Ujjwala bene- ly girls, from socially and tion between G20 countries in Santosh Gangwar. sought the quashing of many on the complaints by IMA Bharatiya Jan Sangh ficiaries in bookings for the economically disadvantaged the field of vocational educa- “The member countries FIRs lodged by Indian Medical chapters. (BJS) founder Syama refills. groups who are more at risk tion and training. of G20, recognise the need to Association (IMA) in Patna As per the IMA complaint, Prasad Mookerjee in Ujjwala scheme is one of the of being left behind. Dhotre reaffirmed the equip our youth well for a and Raipur branches and asked since over the last one year, Kashmir while flagship programmes of the “NEP 2020 provides for support of the Government of smooth transition into the for a transfer of the FIRs to a Ramdev has allegedly been demanding the removal of have themselves not setup a Modi Government to provide early vocational exposure in India to the collective efforts workspace after completing Delhi court. propagating false information Article 370, BJP president J P probe leading to his death in LPG gas connection to women middle and secondary school of the G-20 countries to their education. Ramdev has been booked on social media against medi- Nadda on Wednesday compli- Kashmir valley. of rural areas and especially to along with smooth integra- develop strategies to This is especially impor- under Sections 188 (disobedi- cines being used by the medical mented Prime Minister The BJP president said those from the weaker section tion into mainstream educa- ensure smooth transition tant for learners from social- ence to order duly promulgat- fraternity, Government of India, Narendra Modi for fulfilling Mookerjee had died in “doubt- of the society. tion. It aims that by 2025, at from education to work. ly and economically disad- ed by public servant), 269 Indian Council of Medical Mookerjee’s goal of ‘national ful circumstances”. Linking the Ujjwala bene- least 50 per cent of learners in A joint Meeting of vantaged population groups, (negligent act likely to spread Research (ICMR) and other integration’ by abrogating the While paying tributes to ficiaries and also new connec- the school and higher educa- Ministers of Education and who are more at risk of being infection of disease dangerous frontline organisations in treat- special status to Jammu & the late leader who, he said, sac- tions through CSC digital kiosk tion system would have expo- Ministers of Labour and left behind,” said Dhotre. to life), 504 (intentional insult ment of Coronavirus infection. Kashmir. rificed his entire life for the can serve consumers close to A day before the all party nation, the BJP President said their place of residence.CSC has meet on J & K called by the national integration as sought so far done online booking for Prime Minister, the BJP presi- by Mookerjee was realised by one crore Ujjwala beneficiaries. %&?-     #   #  dent said Mookerjee agitated Modi’s “strong willpower” and “We have requested Oil against ‘ek desh main do vid- Union Home Minister companies to enable other sup- han, do Pradhan and do nishan’ Amit Shah’s “skilled strat- port services through CSC as         system and removal of Articles egy”. change in name, address, 370 and 35 A. These aims of Modi led BJP leaders’ trib- request for additional cylinder end. The sanction of around Five-kilo foodgrains Mookerjee, he said, have been utes to the BJS ideologue on etc. Booking for new connection  243$45, The free supply of 204 lakh tonnes of addi- per person per month is achieved by the Modi-govern- his 68th death anniversary. through CSC is still to be grains will ameliorate the tional foodgrains free of provided free of cost under ment. “Remembering Dr. Syama allowed by the oil companies n view of the anticipated hardships faced by the poor cost would entail an esti- the PMGKAY to 81.35 Mookerjee died in police Prasad Mookerjee on his Punya through CSC and once these Ithird wave of Covid-19 due to economic disruption mated food subsidy of crore beneficiaries covered custody in Kashmir on June 23, Tithi. His noble ideals, rich services are extended, CSC can that is expected in 6 to 8 caused by the coronavirus, 64,031 crore. As the under National Food 1953 while protesting against thoughts and commitment to provide all services to Ujjwala weeks, the Union Cabinet an official statement said. Centre would bear the Security Act (NFSA), it the requirement of a permit for serve people will continue to beneficiaries in villages,” said on Wednesday approved Health experts have entire expenditure towards noted. This is over and entry to the Kashmir valley. inspire us. His efforts towards CSC MD Dr Dinesh Kumar allocation of 204 lakh alerted state governments this scheme without involv- above distribution of high- Nadda said Mookerjee’s national integration will never Tyagi. tonnes of foodgrains at an about the third wave of ing States and UTs, an ly monthly subsidised mother had written to Nehru be forgotten,” Modi tweeted. Though the connection was estimated cost of 67,266 pandemic and have advised additional expenditure of foodgrain of 5 kg per per- seeking a probe into the death Home Minister Amit Shah provided by the government to crore for ramping up of the health about Rs 3,234.85 crore son given at Rs 1-3 per kg of the BJS founder but the said Mookerjee sacrificed him- women, however, refilling due extending facilities. would be required for via ration shops to poor Congress government “ignored self to safeguard India’s identi- to logistics still remained a con- the Pradhan The approved month- meeting the transportation beneficiaries covered under and pushed it under the carpet”. ty and integrity, and saved the cern. Many factors constrained Mantri ly allocation of five kg and handling charges, as the NFSA. However, successive BJP country from another divi- the increase in delivery centers Garib foodgrains per person to well as FPS dealers’ mar- The Food Ministry will governments at the Centre sion. close to the place of residence. Kalyan 81.5 crore beneficiaries cov- gins, taking the total cost to decide on the allocation of Anna Yojana ered under the National 67,266.44 crore, an official wheat and rice. (PMGKAY) Food Security Act is for five statement said. It may also decide on 4        to provide more months between July Early this month, the extension of the lift- free ration to and November this year. Prime Minister Narendra ing/distribution period over 80 crore The second phase of Modi while addressing the under Phase III and Phase (      6 (  people, PMGKAY was launched nation had announced that IV of the PMGKAY as per mostly poor, for May and June as the the Centre’s free food pro- operational requirements, people are wearing the right by five more second wave of the Covid- gramme PMGKAY will be arising out of adverse masks that give them protec- months till 19 pandemic hit the coun- extended for five months weather conditions like tion, or are they wearing any November- try. till Diwali. monsoon, snowfall, etc.. mask just for the sake of it. Lastly, the survey sought to gather citizens’ pulse if the state governments should make the wearing of masks outside home manda- tory in districts with active Covid-19 cases. It found that only 44 per cent of the Indians were wear- ing cloth masks which may not  243$45, According to the survey provide them with the needed findings, only 32 per cent of cit- protection against the highly ask wearing compliance izens in the survey note that transmissible variants like Mstill remains low in India there was limited mask com- Delta. despite it being one of the pliance at the vaccination cen- The findings of the survey worst hit by the second wave of tre they recently visited. indicate that one in two Covid-19, according to findings Many respondents noted Indians were wearing cloth of a survey. that their family members have masks that provide limited The mask compliance at gotten Covid-19 a few days protection from Covid, it vaccination centres also after receiving vaccination at added. remains low, as per the survey centres, citing the high possi- Many Indians since 2020 conducted by online social bility of some vaccination cen- have been using cloth masks, media platform LocalCircles. tres being superspreaders as some even using ones made at “Despite the most lethal some people were not even fol- home, assuming that they will Covid-19 wave that any coun- lowing masking protocols. provide the necessary protec- try in the world has experi- It is a major concern that tion from Covid-19 while that enced so far, India’s mask com- requires an immediate action to may not be the case with the pliance is still low as indicated make sure that such centres do new Delta variant, it said. by the survey finding where 67 not become superspreaders, as On the question whether per cent of citizens say there is per the findings of the survey. the state governments should limited or no mask compliance The survey tried to find out make wearing of masks outside in their area, district, or city,” it how people in cities and dis- home mandatory if a district said. The survey received over tricts, including at the vacci- has any covered cases, 91 per 33,000 responses from citizens nation centres, are complying cent of the respondents okayed located in 312 districts of the with wearing a face mask. the proposal while 8 per cent country. It also sought to find out if decided against it.  9    !" # $

'($       '&&>> * +$$ $&;  11  .5.1"1 well within one’s rights to do so maybe such leaders are making because everyone has a right to such statements out of frustration   50 .23 Earlier, Chief fter BJP MPs Soumitra Khan develop in a democracy and our after seeing their workers being Minister Yogi Aand John Barla it is now the constitution declares that India is battered and their properties mbracing the motto of Adityanath asked all his turn of the saffron party MLAs to a democratic country of which we looted every day.” E‘Sewa hi sangathan’, t h e Ministers to camp at make demands for a separate are the free citizens.” Refusing to withdraw his BJP has decided to send party every block from June State. Roy Burman too backed demand for separate State despite workers, leaders and lawmak- 21 and inspect develop- BJP MLAs from Dabgram- Barla saying “the Alipurduar MP his party’s “declared stance” ers to villages and ensure vac- ment and welfare works Fulbari and Naxalbari-Matigara has done the right thing by against it and partly buttressing cination of local residents and of the government and Sikha Chatterjee and Ananda demanding a separate State the argument of Ghosh the to distribute rations among the solve the problems of the Roy Burman have raised their because from our long experience Alipurduar MP on Wednesday 1 071, the metropolis increased from needy. In the two-day meeting people, if any. The min- voices for a separate State com- we have seen that the said “what else can I do as a BJP 15,315 to 15,338, while the of the national BJP leaders isters have already start- prising the North Bengal districts. Government from only MP … I am seeing the people of ith not much of a change infected cases in Mumbai went with Ministers, the RSS and party workers, ed camping in the blocks. BJP in-charge Both Dabgram-Gulbari and takes care of the southern part of my party being hounded out by Win the Covid-19 situation, up from 7,21,099 to that ended on Tuesday, the BJP decided to Radha Mohan Singh held a meeting with Naxalbari-Matigara are the satel- the State and leaves the northern the Bangladeshi supporters of the Maharashtra logged 10,066 7,21,963. contest the election under the leadership of booth workers of booth number 292 and lite townships of Siliguri — the part to starving State … this can- Trinamool Congress … here are fresh infections and 508 deaths, Mumbai with 18,711 cases Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. exhorted them to work for the welfare of the largest city in North Bengal which not go on for long and the local several families who have come even as 11,032 patients were emerged as the first in the State Starting on the death anniversary of Jan people and gave the slogan ‘booth jeeta to sab is also called the gateway to the people are gradually awakening to from Assam border in Cooch discharged after full recovery in terms of maximum number Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee on jeeta’. North East. their cause of a separate State Behar district … they have fled from various hospitals in the of “active cases” in the state, Wednesday, the fortnight-long programme “The booth is the first step towards the Backing Barla the BJP’s which is the only way through for their lives … their properties State. while Pune with 17,378 stood will continue till his birth anniversary on July victory of the party. If you can win the booth, Alipurduar MP, Chatterjee on which their all-round develop- have been looted by the In a significant develop- second, followed by Thane 6. As per the party’s strategy, workers will you can win the election,” Singh told work- Wednesday said that “neither ment can be achieved.” Bangladeshi Trinamool men … ment, Maharashtra achieved a (13,059), Sangli (9543), reach every vaccination booth and set up a ers. He also talked about the UP govern- the Left nor the Trinamool Curiously Barla continued these are the sons and daughters milestone as it crossed four Kolhapur (9142), Satara (7061), help desk to assist people. On June 25, they ment’s achievements and asked the workers Congress Government have taken to raise his demands for a sepa- of the soil and are being attacked crore Covid-19 tests. Of the Ratnagiri (5615), Sindhudurg will go for a mega plantation driver to achieve to spread the good work done by the gov- any measure to develop the back- rate State the way he did before by the foreign intruders backed by 4,01,28,355 samples sent to (5504) and Raigad (4571). a record breaking target of planting 30 crore ernment. ward regions of North Bengal and the BJP State president Dilip the ruling party … this cannot be various laboratories across the Currently, 6,58,863 peo- saplings. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi its people … so the only way Ghosh rejected views that the saf- tolerated and so I have no other State so far, 59,97,587 have test- ple are in home quarantine On June 27, BJP leaders will stay at every Adityanath, along with his Ministerial col- development can be achieved in fron party had anything to do way but to raise my voice for a ed positive (15.01 per cent) for while 4,196 people are in insti- booth to listen to PM’s 'Mann Ki Baat' and leagues, paid floral tributes to founder of Jana North Bengal is by making a sep- with such demands. “It is his pri- separate State … I will take it to Covid-19 until Wednesday. tutional quarantine. connect the public with the Central and State Sangh Shyama Prasad Mukherjee at Civil arate State here…. If anyone rais- vate statement and the BJP has the Governor of Bengal and even A day after the State welfare schemes. Hospital on Wednesday. es a voice for a separate State it is got nothing to do with it … New Delhi.” recorded 9,043 infections and 482 deaths, the daily infections rose by 1043, while the deaths :D:@ increased marginally by 26. :CB:   "2 Of the total 508 deaths  reported on Wednesday, 163    . , for her because of the physical on late Monday night at her behind the deaths. Last year, were new fatalities, while the     assaults carried out by Kiran, husband Suresh’s house. A Kerala men set new trends in remaining 345 were “old and ate VKN, who enlightened his mother and sister. On nursing graduate, Archana was how to murder young wives. unaccounted deaths” which LMalayalam readers with his Monday morning she was confined to her in-law’s house Uthara, a young wife got killed have been added to the State’s   /  humorous stories and novels found dead under mysterious after the marriage and her in snake bite. Investigation Covid-19 tally as part of the had described Kerala as a land circumstances in her hus- husband was tormenting her revealed that her husband got ongoing reconciliation process.  071, of ‘Poricha Vadhu’ (Malayalam band’s house. My daughter parents for 3 lakh since the her bitten by a deadly cobra to With 508 deaths, the for Fried Brides). This was not would not commit suicide. She wedding function was over. get rid of her after the honey- Covid-19 toll in the state s many as 6,02,163 people to pepper his story with hilar- had great dreams. She dreamt According to neighbours, moon,” said Prof V T Rema, jumped from 1,18,785 to Awere administered ity that VKN made use of this of becoming an Ayurvedic Suresh always stored diesel in women’s activist and former       -  )  0'(   5  1,19,303. Covid-19 doses across term. doctor, specialize in Indian the house since his marriage for principal of Government Arts    ) #    ". With 10,066 fresh infec- Maharashtra on Wednesday, The bursting of kerosene system of medicine and serve reasons known only to him. College, Palakkadu. tions, the total infections in the in what was described as the stoves and the immolation of the poor,” Thrivikraman told On Tuesday evening She said though there were    has not lowered its guard in test- state rose from 59,87,521 to highest-ever number of vac- newly-wed brides were routine The Pioneer. Suchitra (19) was found dead, laws, the investigating agencies  4221, ing people for the disease. More 59,97,587. cinations performed in the events in Kerala’s social life. Kiran and his family mem- hanging in her husband’s do not pursue the than 1.66 lakh persons were As 11,032 patients were State. The last three days saw bers assaulted Vismaya non- house. Suchitra’s wedding was murders/deaths because of here has been reasonable tested across the State while discharged from the hospitals Announcing this, State Vissmaya, a final year BAMS stop during the last three days solemnised on March 21 with lethargy and inherent weak- Timprovement in Tamil 10,432 persons came out of hos- across the State after full recov- Additional Chief Secretary student who was married off to of her life. The young lady had Vishnu, a Government employ- nesses. Nadu’s relentless war against pitals fully cured and rejuve- ery, the total number of people (Health) Dr. Pradip Vyas said: an assistant motor vehicle sent pictures of the injuries on ee working in Uttrakhand. “Kerala is not a safe place Covid-19, according to the nated, said the release. The discharged from the hospitals “Today we have bettered the inspector, dead in her hus- her body to her brother along Sunil, father of Suchitra, told for women or girls. These release issued by the Directorate death toll till date reached 31, since the second week of March performance of yesterday and band’s house allegedly as a with the threatening words media that there was no pos- heart-rending events prove of Health and Preventive 746 while the number of labo- last year increased from have administered the highest result of physical and mental used by the husband. The 30 sibility or reason for his daugh- beyond doubt that parents of Medicine on Wednesday ratories with Covid-19 testing 57,42,258 to 57,53,290. The ever number of Covid-19 vac- torture, Kiran, her husband, year old husband is heard ter resorting to the extreme girls should be vigilante against evening. facilities shot up to 273. recovery rate in the state rose cination doses in a single day had demanded a limousine, telling Vismaya that he was not measure. The Police is yet to prospective bridegrooms,” said The State logged 6,596 Situation in the districts of from 95.90 per cent to 95.93 in the State. As many as 100 sovereigns and a 120 cents happy with the car given by her disclose anything about the the professor, known for her new cases on Wednesday while Coimbatore, Erode and Tirupur per cent. 6,02,163 doses were adminis- plot of land (worth 2 crore in father and insisted that she ask death of Suchitra. knowledge in philosophy. the death toll of the last 24 hours (the industrial hub of the State) The total “active cases” in tered till 7 PM and the figure local real estate market) to tie her family members for a lux- The Kerala State Crime At the time of going to showed 166 casualties. Both has improved. While the state dropped from 1,23,340 is likely to increase further”. the nuptial knot. After two ury car. “I am a Government Records Bureau in its report Press, a widow whose daugh- the new cases and fatalities Coimbatore which had topped to 1,21,859. The fatality rate in Vyas went on to congrat- months of marriage, the bride- officer and deserve more than has stated that 65 brides were ter Priyanka was found dead in were lesser than that of Tuesday the table of districts with high- the state rose from 1.98 per cent ulate the district health groom expressed his displea- this,” were his catchwords found murdered/dead under her house at which showed 6,895 and 194 est number of Covid-19 cases to 1.99 per cent. authorities across the State. sure with the brand new Toyota throughout the two months- mysterious circumstances in Thiruvananthapuram follow- respectively. showed 793 (the highest in Mumbai recorded 23 “Great work done by the dis- Corolla car which was given by long ordeal. the State during 2020-21. “The ing physical assault by her hus- There were 52,884 patients Tamil Nadu), the districts of deaths and 863 infections. As trict teams. Congratulations Vismaya’s father Thrivikraman Archana (24) at list is endless and we take note band Unni Rajan , son of undergoing treatment for the Erode (686) and Tirupur ( 419) a result, the Covid-19 toll in to all District teams,” he said. as dowry. Thiruvananthapuram suc- of these only deaths only if late Malayalam film artist Rajan pandemic across the State as on recorded a dip in the number of “Life turned out to be hell cumbed to burns she suffered there is some sensational news P Dev. Wednesday evening. The State new cases. -   - : 6   #   1 071, tion-cum-organised crime. ing with imported goods. In one of the Kaskar was arrested at the taped telephonic conversations, ncarcerated Mohammed Rizwan Iqbal Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Machmach handed out a threat to the  *10 IHasan Shaikh Ibrahim Kaskar, younger Airport here on Wednesday night, while complainant in June 2019 in an earlier brother of Karachi-based underworld don his wife was trying to flee to Dubai in the case and told the latter not to seek  243$45, cost of 3,269 crore and 139 narcotics smuggler was neu- Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, was on (UAE). money from Ashfak Towelwala. crore was set aside for five Atralised immediately after Wednesday arrested by the Narcotics Based on the information provided by The police went to search Rizwan he Central Public Works year's maintenance in April one of the alert jawans of the Control Bureau (NCB) in connection with Rizwan Kaskar, the police had arrested Kaskar’s residence on the afternoon of July TDepartment (CPWD) has this year. Border Security Force (BSF) a drug-related case. two of his aides Ahmedraja Afroz 17, 2019 In an effort to avoid his arrest, extended the last date of sub- These new buildings will unearthed a sinister plot to Armed with a production warrant, Wadharia (24) and Ashfak Rafique Rizwan Kaskar and his wife attempted to mission of bids and opening of come on the plot where the smuggle narcotics worth 135 the NCB picked up Iqbal Kaskar from the Towelwala (34) in connection with the fly to Dubai, only to be arrested at the air- technical bids for the con- Indira Gandhi National Centre crore from the Hiranagar sector Thane prison — where has been lodged same extortion-cum-organised crime port. struction of the first three for the Arts is currently locat- of Kathua district early on for the past five years and taken to the case. Iqbal Kaskar is Dawood’s second buildings of the proposed new ed. The Modi Government’s Wednesday morning. NCB headquarters here for questioning. All the three arrested gangsters were relative to have been arrested in recent Common Central Secretariat mega project to redevelop- The smugglers were appar- After several hours of questioning, Kaskar allegedly involved in organised crime. years. It may be recalled that Danish from Wednesday to July 14. ment of central vista and con- ently provided logistics support was placed under arrest by the NCB. Initial investigations have revealed that the Parkar, nephew of the fugitive don This is the second time the struction of a new parliament by the Pakistani rangers to smug- the border outpost in Hira Nagar Kaskar’s name had cropped during three gangsters had handed extortion Dawood, was detained and sent to jail by deadlines have been pushed in building has become a bone of gle the huge consignment weigh- sector noticed some suspicious the interrogations of the several accused threats to several businessmen in the city. Nagpada police in March 2006 to ensure a week, with the earlier exten- contention as the opposition ing 27 kgs inside the Indian ter- movement on IB from the arrested in connection with the seizure of Rizwan Kaskar’s arrest was a fallout that he did not create any trouble. sion being from June 16 to parties are demanding to scrap ritory. side and alerted its drugs made in central Mumbai. of the arrest and interrogation of The passport authorities had initiat- Wednesday. the project in view of the According to a BSF men. When the Pakistani smug- Among other cases, the name of Dawood’s gang member Fahim ed a verification procedure suspecting that According to CPWD offi- Covid pandemic. spokesman, “During the wee glers came closer to the IB, they Kaskar, who is suspected of running his Machmach, in an extortion case. he had acquired a forged passport. cials, the last date of submission The redevelopment of the hours, a vigilant BSF troop were challenged and fired upon. brother Dawood’s realty empire and Machmach was arrested at the city Danish, son of late Haseena Parkar, of bids and opening of techni- Central Vista -- the nation's thwarted a drug smuggling “During a search of the area, other businesses in Mumbai for the past international airport when he returned elder sister of Dawood Ibrahim, had been cal bids for the construction of power corridor -- envisages a attempt by Pakistani smugglers the body of a Pakistani smuggler couple of decades or so, figured in con- from Dubai on July 15, 2019 During the detained by Nagpada police under pro- the first three buildings of the new parliament building, a on the Kathua border and seized and 27 packets of heroin were nection with the recent seizure of 15 kgs interrogation, Machmach told the police visions of the Bombay Police Act, as a proposed new Common common central secretariat, about 27 kgs of heroin.” found near the fence,” said IG of Cannabis which was sent from Kashmir that it was he who introduced Ahmedraja passport verification process was initiat- Central Secretariat from revamping of the 3 km Rajpath IG BSF Jammu Frontier NS BSF. “We have gathered all the to Mumbai. Wadharia to Rizwan Kaskar and also to ed in connection with the passport Wednesday to July 14. The from Rashtrapati Bhavan to Jamwal, who visited the location material evidence and soon we It may be recalled that on July 17, the members of the Chhota Shakeel acquired by him. The detention was CPWD had invited bids for India Gate, new prime minis- along the International Border will lodge a strong protest with 2019, then 30-year-old Iqbal Kakar and gang. ensured against Danish creating any three new office buildings ter''s residence and prime min- (IB) told reporters that border our Pakistani counterparts”, he two of his aides were arrested by the Machmach’s arrest came in connec- problem during the passport verification under the Common Central ister''s office, and a new vice troopers deployed near one of added. Mumbai police in connection with extor- tion with a dispute between traders deal- process. Secretariat along Rajpath at a president enclave.      !  

1 071, announced 6 lakh as bounty At a rehabilitation pro- against her arrest. gramme organised for the sur- hardcore woman Maoist With her surrender, the rendered Maoists at “Navjeevan Awith a bounty on her head, total number of Maoists who Vasahat” (colony), Gadchiroli’s who was wanted for involve- have surrendered before the Superintendent of Police Ankit ment in 15 encounters, an Gadchiroli police between 2019 Goyal, said that facilities like, incident of arson and four and 2021 has gone up to 39. electrification, water, gotul, major offences, surrendered Those surrendered four sanitization, etc. Would be before the Gadchiroli police in Divisional Committee made available with the above eastern Maharashtra. Members (DVCM), two Dalam “Navjeevan Vasahat”. The Identifying the surrendered Commanders, three Dept. employment would be pro- Maoist as Anju Asaram Achala, Commanders, 29 Dalam vided to the surrendered nax- a resident of Motha Zalia in Members and one Jan Militia alites. Dhanora tehsil of Gadchiroli Member In call to Maoists in the district with various aliases A senior Gadchiroli police 7     #    area to surrender, Goyal has like Shashikala, Guni and Zuri official said that “frustrated  #        2          also said that all necessary (30), the police said that she and fed up with life besieged   assistance would be provided to had joined Tipagad Naxal with violence, Maoists were those who were willing to sur- Dhalam in 2006 as member getting “attracted” to the sur- programmes like Janjagran be persuaded to abdicate vio- render and join the main- and gone on to become the render policy announced by melawas, Rozgar melawas, lence. “These activities con- stream of the society, also will- Tipagad Area Committee the Maharashtra Government. Women Melawas and Village tributed to the surrender of ing to live in the ways of Member. The policy involves a rehabil- Visitations (Grambhet), “which Anju Achala,” the police official democracy. According to Gadchiroli itation programme. deeply impact the minds of said. He has said that stringent police, she was personally Apart from intensified common people”. Under the “Simultaneously, we build action would be taken against involved in 20 crimes includ- anti-Naxal operations, the Grambhet programme, senior a constant pressure upon the all those elements who stand in ing 15 encounters. The Gadchiroli police undertake police officers visit the homes Naxalites to surrender before the way of development of the Maharashtra Government had various kinds of civic action of relatives of Maoists who can the police,” the official said. district.  -      "      -   ) #    ".    !" # $ :

     !)' 9   8" $      ' 9  9 ,-./01,""023 1 $ 4  ! &      8 %                        *9:-(./      #      ( 1   !              #          9 ;<            =             .    6;  - 2 O/        )  )       =                  (       .7  9 #         he ongoing political insta-    1            )   ( bility in Nepal has deteri- orated with the Supreme    %                  ( Court’s verdict on June                         T 22. In a big blow to Prime Minister             #  %         > KP Oli, the apex court quashed the    :   *  ?:*@ #          appointment of 20 new Ministers in the Oli Cabinet. These 8 5  1           Ministers were appointed after Oli :   -  ?:-@ 1      managed to crack a deal with a   =   "   %   faction of the Janata Samajbadi              Party led by Mahanta Thakur and Rajendra Mahto to support his           ( minority Government. The acting          Prime Minister, Oli, had appoint- #   %       1  ed these Ministers, including two           ( deputy Prime Ministers, on June 4 and 10. Meanwhile, these             ( Ministers were appointed when  -           the House of Representative stood   1     >  %    dissolved, and the Supreme Court                was examining a pile of petitions against the House dissolution on   1                      May 21. The Supreme Court has      5            : stoked the fanfare and enthusiasm       # %            among Oli’s supporters for the sec-                       - ond time in a row. On February Party itself was based on new India in Nepal, Oli once again Nepalese soil, brutal policies on 23, the court had quashed the uni- portfolios and one deputy pre- alleged his claim on yoga as a Tibetan refugees living in Nepal                 #   lateral move by President Bidya miership. Nepali practice and “not and artificial humanitarian acts.         #           ( Bhandari to dissolve a functional As a result, Oli had asked Indian”. While Oli may still The two large photographs of                     Parliament and declaration of his Ministers and loyalists in the hold the powerful office in Chinese President Xi Jinping -       %              .,, new elections in March and April. Cabinet to resign en masse. Nepal, India needs to think continue to grace the Ministry The first House was dissolved in However, amidst two back-to- beyond him to keep open bor- of Foreign Affairs website in            A -       December 2020 after Oli feared back defeats in the apex court, ders safe and prevent cross-bor- Nepal at the cost of deteriorat-    -                  that his tussle with Maoist Party the moral question for Oli has der activities from affecting ing relations with India. %          (       # chief Prachanda would fall, which to be his resignation as for the India’s national security. Conclusion: The political     4  4              %   eventually happened in May. last one year, he has merely Oli is a product of political instability in Nepal is the least However, Oli has been trying been interested in the PMO for . /1615, equations and calculations, and desired by the people of Nepal                  to play out the Constitution for his political survival rather ,/16$0 " his cord functions as per the under the current circum-                   ( months, using the President’s than focusing on COVID-19 political suitability. Therefore, stances. Before Nepal, there are  (    #              1  Office. As a result, of this nexus and acting upon corruption 5,", 15 hoping a friendly Oli will be immediate challenges in terms   *              between Oli and Bhandari, Nepal charges levied on his fellow next to impossible task for of medical infrastructure, again stands at a crossroads sim- Ministers. 4F01",2/12$ India. On the other hand, employment, economic devel-       ilar to the days of the political tran- Unreliable Oli: Many in 15 051",2/ China continues to benefit opment, infrastructure and sition from monarchy to democ- India believe that New Delhi from political instability in the leadership, which are clearly racy in 2006. The Supreme Court facilitated the Janata Samajbadi 12$,/ 6$ Himalayan country. not on Oli’s agenda. Therefore, 1"#$% is scheduled to hear hundreds of Party’s decision to support Oli. Before the second wave of while the people of Nepal await petitions filed against President As a result, a long-term critic 02 ",2/ COVID-19 had hit, India had the court’s verdict on the fate of Bhandari’s decision to dissolve the to India, Oli went on to record 1/46"4 supplied more than two million Oli as Prime Minister, the lat- House for a second time. While to say “differences with India doses to Nepal. On the other ter himself should pave the way the hopes are high that the court have been resolved”. If this is the 5,", 15 hand, China promised to supply for a stable Nepal by resigning may restore the House, it brings case, India has taken the biggest the second consignment of vac- on moral grounds. Also, Nepal severe administrative challenges to strategic risk by trusting an /0,"17,5,"=' cines with four million doses. needs to understand that China the Government. At present, Oli untrustworthy Oli. For the last "46464 Meanwhile, the dragon has may be a “big brother”, but it is is left with only five Ministers in five years, Oli has been spitting shown its unhappiness over ill prepared to deal with drag- his cabinet, including himself in venom against India’s goodwill ,2%1 media reports on the procure- on’s ill-intended expansionist charge of several portfolios. As per in Nepal. From raising the ment. It exposes China’s com- outlook where India is an the Constitution, Oli should have border issue to manipulating 6,42$5=5, mercial intent in supplying the “elder bother” it always needs. continued with his previous cultural and religious facts to 3,557424G" vaccines at about $10 per dose (The author is an ICSSR Cabinet as no new appointment suit his ultra-nationalistic out- (1186 Nepali) than its desired Doctoral Fellow at the JNU can be made under a dissolved look, he unilaterally included ",//,754 humanitarian intent. Meanwhile, and Visiting Fellow at the Asian House, or the Government in India’s sovereign territory in a Oli does not seem bothered with Institute of Diplomacy and question has not faced the vote of new political map of the coun- "1/.6,2$,1 Chinese micro-management of International Affairs, confidence. However, the power- try. However, even after every- Nepalese political affairs, its ter- Kathmandu. The views sharing between Janata Samajbadi thing seemed to be favouring ritorial expansion on the expressed are personal.)  / . + ;1 ./ SOUNDBITE Q      #      ##       2   1   ". Sir — With regard to ‘Corona’s orphans: Kids   !"  !   of a lesser god’, June 23, it is extremely piti- / %   ful that thousands of children in India have         ' , ) lost one or both parents in the aftermath " 7'':;'D       )   .  $$ of the COVID-19 pandemic. And the !     '" )      '"    prospect of a surge of abandoned minors           ' worries many. Heart-rending stories in the  .+;2   !      media and desperate calls for help on social        <7:5:57" A <"#: channels reveal a devastating truth of our  !     K=/*   6  times.    ',      )         The intention is good, the schemes are 3   )  #  *                         fine but how will orphaned children avail              #+,        # ( of these benefits? Can we expect small or            !   ' #   7'':;'D      " 0.    #!!                   -** *   )  * adolescent orphaned children going to the $ !   ) +,./        )#* 0  1    -  Government departments, filling up forms,                )        ,                            2   )         -**      submitting certificates and availing of this scheme? The direction has to be in reverse. .+;2    !  L         ! '3    !        #        Instead of orphans seeking help from  M  )               !  !    '   ',                          the Government, it is the State machinery 7:5": 5:   >,$  !                       ( which should send its officials to meet these K *      '" $          !               orphaned children, prepare details and arrange a smooth transfer of stipends and          $   J                 educational loans. The entire task devolves            '3   $ ,         (          upon the State Governments, who will have        !            )  )       3   )#*   to provide data to the Centre.  !     .+;2    '   Ranganathan Sivakumar |Chennai          95>5<575<|   ',      #          )           #           People must be made aware about the ond-line leaders.     #              Sir — According to UNICEF, India has over due process of adoption by the The NCP was subsequently at pains to        '      3           ( 30 million orphan and abandoned children. Government. The Central Adoption explain that Pawar was only playing the host @#2:            ( Unfortunately, the existing Corona crisis is Resource Authority regulates the adoption and did not organise the meeting. It also K/ % adding unknown numbers of orphans to the (                    of the orphaned, abandoned children. In explained that there was no deliberate exclu- list. In times of crisis of this magnitude, fact, the whole process must be streamlined sion of the Congress. Other than the 6           S S            some miscreants try to derive undue ben- to avoid delays. Congress, the DMK, the RJD and the BSP 4    )              efit by resorting to human trafficking, which Recently, the SC also came to the res- too did not send any representatives to the   ! ! surely is a blot on society. These unscrupu- cue of those orphaned by the crisis and meeting.    #           #        lous people tend to hoodwink gullible per- gave instructions to the Government about It has been reported in the media that !      )#*              sons, who are easy targets. Their sentiments their protection .This critical issue must be this meeting of Rashtra Manch was held by  $ 0   '              4   )  are exploited for exorbitant sums of money. addressed and heeded so that they can get Sharad Pawar to unite anti-BJP parties is                 3 The business of child trafficking and crim- their rightful due a dignified life. totally a showpiece rather than serving a 2:?:<>5<7"C;;: 5                       inal trading is rampant and must be dealt Vijay Singh Adhikari | Nainital desired purpose. Moreover, the meeting K >  with an iron hand. should not be misconstrued as a big politi-                 #   The National and State Commissions    cal step taken by Pawar to exclude the "                        3 for Protection of Child are empowered by Sir — Despite much political excitement Congress from any potential opposition         "       ( #       law to take legal action against such crim- around an Opposition party, the Rashtra grouping, pointing out that several Congress     inal activities. Social activists, NGOs, news- Manch meeting hosted by Nationalist +6   #       7,           # leaders were invited but they did not attend.   ! papers and the aware citizens must report Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar in the Chitra Krishnan | Vashi     $   "   #              and publicise such incidents so that time- Capital turned out to be a damp squib with  '         S    -**     ly action can be taken against those a majority of the Opposition parties giving engaged in illegal activities. it a miss and many of them sending in sec-   #- + 4#<5<#12:<2:    4   #        ##:"#2;2<:=>?53@2? K1 7 #     !" # $ $

     !)' 9   8" $      ' 9  9 FIRSTCOLUMN ',5/,.6"," Q#2./,.6R03+ ! -#, /-/ 6 #!      O !    N! )  O ) 

he Indian economy may have started recovering with the pandemic unlock but galloping inflation, increasing + *#,))"=2/> Thealthcare expenses, and rising unem- ployment are major banes.                 ( The global economy is to rise by four per -   8 $      4   B $   1 cent and India would marginally benefit from $    *              ( it with some rise in exports. A World Bank            8$    ( report wants India to create 90 million jobs in             A -    ( non-agricultural organized sector - a                 Herculean task as most private sector offices        8 $   # 4B$     are either closing down or slashing operations. Humanitarian crises, hunger deaths, and soci- 1   1   1 $        etal conflicts are growing. 8  C         D  # Latest figures indicate 12.69 per cent *       C E   1   ( inflation primarily on account of F2 - food and     fuel. The fuel price rise is hitting every sector #    +,.F       +,./  ( of the economy with nobody to correct it. The basic price of petrol remains still around 35.99                  8$  G# 4B$            and over 65 are the central and state tax com- ponents. The edible oil prices have reached cri-                  sis points with a 62 per cent spike, Food   (           Secretary Sudhansu Pande says. This follows  H,       I    G  $ C  %  withdrawal of edible oil from essential com- -     1   E  #  ( modities list in September 2020       8 $            A State Bank of India report says that mas-         4B$       )  sive increase in healthcare, especially in the hinterland, steadily rising fuel prices, and online delivery of articles will increase infla- tionary pressure much higher on the one hand, while crowding out other consumer spending "467,1/ on the other, putting a big question mark on 15641$= overall growth that is still being driven by con- 53464$,"/%$ sumption demand. Month-on-month increase 6*4 ",2" in inflation on non-institutional medicines, x- B'C46 42" ray, ECG, pathological and other clinical tests 6'C46 is taking a heavy toll not only in urban areas but even on the rural populace. 42"',"1$ impact India as well as there that the online delivery adds to the PSUs paid a dividend of The SBI report has questioned the head- 4$M'C46 would be commodity price-rise inflation. The RBI says that the 39,022 crore (against an estimat- line inflation figures announced by the min- 42"64 >46= globally. The RBI upon the gov- increased healthcare and other ed 34,717 crore), the RBI paid istry. It says that price movements convey ,2"4,6/" ernment's suggestion has sup- expenses have impacted domes- 99,000 crore dividend, and other 4              $  important information about the scarcity of F016"46 pressed interest rates but it will tic demand. That is the reason of banks paid 1,619 crore in 2020-                 particular goods and services like health and 2/,$464$53 not help keep prices low. It will delayed recovery of manufactur- 21. In short, a major part of the medical care as of now. Health expenditure, 71/4%,>42"4 make it difficult for the RBI to ing, core sector and other activ- government expenses are being       8$        $  = which currently constitutes five per cent of manage the conflicting targets of ities. funded by the PSUs. The govern-    =                overall inflation basket, may jump to at least 2"61 ",2 inflation, exchange rate, and ade- The recovery process, the SBI ment's efforts to sell PSUs are +,+6   11 per cent. (It may be noted that health expen- 51/"=416',",/ quate liquidity amidst weak says, needs a cut in fuel prices by being stonewalled by a poor 1  4B$        !11   4B$   ( diture is around 6 lakh crore or five per cent 23/ 4", 15 growth. tax rationalization as otherwise economy. It should rather change                # *  of the private final consumption expenditure). $04""4 The RBI has already lowered non-discretionary spends will its policies to strengthen the =  D      *  =     1  This is likely to also result in a squeeze in /4 2$31>4 its GDP projection to 9.5 per cent continue to get distorted and PSUs.        8 5       %  expenditure on other items of discretionary 5 .$32"1" from 10.5 per cent. It had hoped cause inflation. Despite this the India remains consumption. /44/$4 5,24,2 18.5 per cent recovery in the first The RBI has given another an investment destination. A  E     0  1 $       The daily increase of fuel prices is anoth- quarter, considered low base formula. It has gone a bit beyond healthy flow of FDI into the     -          +,.6     ( er bane. "And if we look at credit card spends $4/,"/ given the contraction last year. It and wants to partner with the pri- country corroborates India's  -   +,.F          since December, CPI computed inflation for ,2$, 1",2% is now skeptical due to the second vate sector - in short a prescrip- strength and attracts attention of *  - +,./           41$ the five-month ending April is higher than the ,%46 wave of lockdown that sees tion for further denuding the global investors, the #           D I    # CSO estimate on an average by 60 basis points 0/45$ decline in deposits, indicating PSUs. The recommendation Confederation of Indian Industry       D          and the higher oil prices had forced consumers 4G42/4/12$ higher household expenses, and should make the authorities says. Total equity, re-invested               (   ( to ration out discretionary spends in 5346/1>,2%/ lower savings. Additionally, cur- rethink on privatisiation. earnings, and capital rose 10 per December," says SBI chief economist Soumya rency holding - cash - with the Over the last few years, major cent to the highest ever $81.72   1 $    J      = Kanti Ghosh. It means the actual inflation is people decelerated to 1.7 per PSUs have consistently increased billion during 2020-21.     (           60 per cent more than the CSO figures. cent during April against a payouts to the government The RBI expects recent gov- =  C  1   9    4B$  The RBI has virtually given credence to the growth of 3.5 per cent last year. despite a dip in their profitabili- ernment boost in capital expen-            1    $  SBI finding as it estimates 2 lakh crore loss- It substantiates what the SBI ty. Since 2016, as per an official diture to spur activity and invest-     $     ?1@     8 5 = es on economic output. It says that it may not says that extra expenses on diktat they are paying a minimum ment. For all this, however, there  1 #             reflect on GDP but there would be a consid- households have increased man- 30 per cent of their profit after tax has to be a major shift in policy     4B$   !    9 erable value loss across the economy. The SBI ifold. Also, there has been an or five per cent of their net thrust. While private investments report clarifies it as the share of non-discre- increase in use of online delivery worth, whichever is higher, as must rise, the government must $  !  1  4   1 $      tionary spend which has jumped to 59 per cent platforms which is not considered dividend. relook at strengthening PSUs to        in April and 52 per cent and in March and "this by the NSO and if the NSO con- The 100 government compa- tide over the crisis that is beyond !     I4  1 = I (  ( does not augur well". (The writer is a senior siders online prices, there will be nies declared a dividend of the capacity of the private sector.                  +,++ The inflation is to further rise as the US journalist. The views 10-15 basic points (bps) impact 71,857 crore during 2018-19, This would alone cut prices and     # =    4 1 CI has matched its interest rate rise. It would expressed are personal. ) on CPI inflation. The SBI says according to the CAG. In 2021, boost demand. B  $   C  $ I   $  *  $ I 4  = 4  $I  8 $   ! 1 4I 4  = $   ! C  C I 4   POINTCOUNTERPOINT : 1 $    *I B C  $    - =( (-  =    9   !      '(    1 1  9 $  !     =       (   G)      4  =4*  =  %  0,%/+.     % #                 !!  93D 91  3       G   L 9     L                 1            i                                 

he COVID-19 pandem- agency ICRA, domestic passen- that the recovery will take Efforts are already on in the Tourism Industry, an industry asked the government to com- ic has clipped the wings ger traffic between May and years, if not decades. The recov- industry as well as in the gov- body of travel and hospitality pensate airlines and airports to Tof the aviation industry September 2020 was only 11 ery is linked to Covid-19 vac- ernment to make the turn- tech players like Airbnb, the extent of their operating the world over. In India, the million in comparison to 70 cination programs and testing around possible.To encourage EaseMyTrip, OYO, and Yatra. losses and give them some tax lockdown banning air travel has million in 2019. procedures worldwide. He feels the development of the aviation The idea is to help small oper- relief. It wants a government hit this industry the worst.As a An aviation expert, PS Nair, operational costs would not industry, the government plans ators in the tourism sector. package for maintaining oper- ripple effect,the tour and trav- &'#() !*#;< says Indian aviation is expect- breakeven before 2023. to invest up to $1.83 billion and Nair, however, feels opti- ations in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. el and the hospitality industry ed to incur $4 billion worth of PS Nair, the former CEO, develop airport infrastructure mistic because the country This will improve passenger have also been hit. losses in 2021.Nair says: "These Delhi Airport and founder- and aviation navigation services aims to open 100 new airports confidence. The traffic will Downsizing has led to peo- losses are not easy to even out. CEO of HIAL says that the by 2026. The Culture and by 2024 of which 30 projects are improve bringing sustainabili- ple in these industries losing A very careful and integrated industry has a good chance to Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel already in progress. Plans are on ty to the sector. their jobs and a lucky few are approach is required to rejuve- domestic operations. The coun- bounce back as fundamentals is hopeful of early revival, say- to have 200 more airports by Bawa has also asked the working on half, reducedor nate the aviation industry. try has the potential to overtake of the country's economy are ing the tourism and aviation 2040. The infrastructure boost government to relax the travel meagre salaries. International Everything would depend the and still favourable. For a few years industries will be back with a coupled with a rise in demand restrictions for those who have Civil Aviation Organization upon the economic recovery of become the world's third- before the pandemic, the avia- bang because the government should see the Indian aviation been vaccinated. "Restrictions (ICAO) pegs the losses of the the country. But aviation stands largest aviation market in terms tion sector of India had regis- is linking its vaccination pro- industry flying high. "The like the RTPCR tests and quar- aviation industry at $370 bil- a good chance, as it has no alter- of handling air passengers with- tered a steady growth and gram with the drive to revive Government must support the antineshould not be mandato- lion. Air travel is down 60 per- native. If you have to travel, you in the next five years. India had overtaken Japan to the tourism sector. The govern- industry. If you increase the air- ry for the travellers with both cent. This has led to airlines have to take a flight; virtual The best minds in the avi- become the third-biggest ment is also working on a uni- fares, the demand may further jabs," he says. The ATA has sug- shutting most of their opera- flight is not an option." ation industry recently had a domestic market. Private form policy for travel and pro- come down, if you don't loss- gested that for inland travel, a tions. They continue to incur (The writer is a columnist India is the seventh-largest brainstorming session under investors were showing interest tocols for vaccinated travellers. es would mount," says Bawa. pass with a fitness certificate can fixed costs without the ground- and a documentary civil aviation market in the the aegis of the Air Travellers in developing the country's The Minister recently launched On its part, ATA has a few also be issued. 'Yatra Setu' on film-maker. The views ed fleets not earning a dime. expressed are personal. ) world. It is the third-largest avi- Association (ATA).GS Bawa, airports but Covid-19 struck the Confederation of recommendations for helping the lines of 'Arogya Setu' can be According to the Indian rating ation market in terms of General Secretary, ATA, feels and stalled everything. Hospitality, Technology and out the aviation industry. It has a good step in this direction.    !" # $  #             9 R :$    Bangkok: The case of an leader Aung San Suu Kyi who February remained in legal tried. Su Kyi, her advisor Sean Australian economist and like her was arrested when the limbo Wednesday as a court Turnell and three former adviser to Myanmar’s ousted military seized ower in considered where he should be Cabinet ministers were charged in March under Myanmar’s $  *  9   official secrets law, which is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.  / 3 ance that reflected Russia’s eager- Turnell has not appeared in ness to develop ties with it despite public since he was detained on he leader of Myanmar’s mil- international opprobrium. February 6 and did not attend Titary junta on Wednesday The military in Myanmar Wednesday’s court hearing. attended an international con- ousted the democratically elect- AP ference in Moscow, an appear- ed government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, saying her party’s landslide victory in elections last November result- ed from massive voter fraud. It has not produced credible evi- dence to back its claim. Security forces have bru- tally suppressed widespread popular protests against the military takeover, killing hun- dreds of protesters and carry- ing out waves of arrests. The junta’s leader, Senior 5 1         ) 0 0)   Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, P   2 9 -     claimed in Wednesday’s speech      -   5  "  at the conference organised by Russia’s Defence Ministry “We pay special attention to technical field is an important that it was trying to consolidate this meeting as we see Myanmar part of relations between Russia a democratic system in the as a time-tested strategic partner and Myanmar” and praised Min country that has “degraded.” and a reliable ally in Southeast Aung Hlaing for strengthening On Tuesday, Min Aung Hlaing Asia and the Asia-Pacific region,” the country’s military. met with Russian Defence Shoigu said at the start of the Shoigu said that Russia Minister Sergei Shoigu, who meeting. would work to expand ties with hailed strong military cooper- He added that “cooperation Myanmar based on “mutual ation between the countries. in the military and military- understanding, respect and trust.” &.= /. 12&  P     :4"5? , O/  3                          '  / 3 ship fired warning shots after the British missile destroyer 9     Russian warship fired Defender had ignored a notice   , Awarning shots and a war- against intrusion in Russia’s ter- @2 # 1!   plane dropped bombs ritorial waters. It said that a !   Wednesday to force a British Russian Su-24 bomber also        O destroyer from an area in the dropped four bombs ahead of %  "  Black Sea near Crimea that the British ship to persuade it to        Russia claims as its territorial change course. Minutes later, the   ' waters. British warship left the Russian The incident marked the waters, the ministry said. The   first time since the Cold War Russian Defence Ministry said it    that Moscow has used live has summoned the UK military 2C2 1 +  ammunition to deter a NATO attache in Moscow to protest the        *  warship, reflecting growing British destroyer’s maneuver.           risks of military incidents amid The UK Ministry of      soaring Russia-West tensions. Defence did not immediately !  )      The Russian Defence respond to a request for com-    D)   Ministry said the Russian war- ment.     ' 16 O  P , )    )     (             Dubai: Iran likely conducted a failed launch of a satellite-carry- Tehran: Iranian authorities identify the perpetrators. ing rocket in recent days and now have thwarted what they called Iranian media offered no appears to be preparing to try a “sabotage attack” targeting a details on the kind of attack, again, the country’s latest effort civilian nuclear facility near the saying only that the move tar- to advance its space programme. country’s capital, state TV geted a sprawling nuclear cen- Satellite images, a US offi- reported on Wednesday, as ter located in Karaj city, just cial and a rocket expert all con- details about the incident some 40 kilometers northwest firmed the failed launch, earli- remained scarce. of Tehran. er this month, at the Imam The attempted attack When asked for comment, Khomeini Spaceport in Iran’s against a building belonging to an Iranian official referred to the Semnan province. The attempt Iran’s Atomic Energy initial report by Nournews, comes as Iran’s space pro- Organization “left no casualties believed to be close to Iran’s gramme has suffered a series of or damages and was unable to Supreme National Security high-profile losses, while its disrupt the Iranian nuclear Council. The official spoke on paramilitary Revolutionary program,” Iranian state televi- condition of anonymity as they Guard runs its own parallel sion reported, adding that did not have authorisation to dis- program that launched a satel- authorities were working to cuss the matter with media. AP lite into orbit last year. AP / '**   *   #     5164 windows and walls of Saeed’s New York: Warren Buffett is house were damaged from the resigning as a trustee from the powerful car bomb explod- impact of the blast, Pakistani Bill and Melinda Gates Aed outside the house of the media reported. Foundation. 2008 Mumbai terror attack Inspector General of Police The announcement comes mastermind and banned (Punjab) Inam Ghani said there weeks after Bill and Melinda Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief could have been a “major loss” Gates announced that they Hafiz Saeed here on had there been no police pick- were divorcing after 27 years of Wednesday, killing at least et outside the house of the marriage but would continue to three people and injuring 21 high-profile personality, refer- jointly run the foundation, one others. ring to Saeed. of the largest charitable foun- The blast took place at a The 71-year-old radical dations in the world. police picket outside Saeed’s cleric has been serving a jail Gates was formerly the residence at the BOR Society in sentence at the high-security world’s richest person and his Jauhar Town, resulting in seri- Kot Lakhpat Jail in for fortune is estimated at well over ous injuries to some police offi- his conviction in terror financ- $100 billion. AP cers guarding his house. The ing cases. 6 $  Q   R  +"R  ; Kathmandu: Nepal’s Prime gin of Yoga,” he said. Some **  &6 # Minister KP Sharma Oli has 15,000 years ago, Shambhunath stoked yet another controver- or Shiva propounded the prac- Washington: The highly con- sy by claiming that Yoga orig- tices of Yoga. Later on, Maharshi tagious Delta variant of the inated in his country, not in Patanjali developed the philos- coronavirus is the “greatest India, a view not shared by a ophy of Yoga in a more refined threat” to America’s attempt to leading expert here. and systematic manner, he said. eradicate the pandemic, the Speaking at a function “Yoga doesn’t belong to country’s leading infectious organised to observe the any particular religion or reli- disease expert and White International Yoga Day on June gious sect,” Oli said. House Chief Medical Advisor 21 at the Prime Minister’s resi- “Shiva started the practice of Dr Anthony Fauci has warned. dence in Baluwatar, Oli said that Yoga on the longest day on the The variant, which was India was not even born as a sep- Earth, which lies on June 21 as first detected in India, is more arate country when Yoga origi- per the Gregorian calendar. contagious and causes more nated in “this part of the world”. Prime Minister of India severe disease than other cir- “Yoga originated from this Narendra Modi proposed to culating variants, he said on part of the globe. It originated observe International Yoga Day Tuesday during a White House from Uttarakhand, in particu- on the same day, for which we all Covid-19 response team lar, Nepal was the place of ori- should be pleased,” Oli said. briefing. PTI    !" # $   "

3R /4/ ,$ % 1 "  $2 8        R  % ", 1/C$1=/" 50-year-old jeweller with a  071, chance for his lawyers to make  243$45,  243$45, 14156615 his case at a brief oral hearing  5+ he BSE Sensex nursed loss- in the High Court with a he Department of Telecom  243$45, he Government on Tes on Wednesday after 416,2% renewed “leave to appeal” Ton Wednesday allocated 1     TWednesday announced lib- three days of gains, weighed by application for a judge to deter- the spectrum for 5G field tri- oreign direct investment eralisation of guidelines for selling in Reliance Industries,  52$2 mine if it can proceed to a full als to the state-owned telecom Finto India increased by 60  243$45, quarter. We currently expect other service providers (OSPs) finance and metal stocks appeal hearing. firm MTNL with C-DoT as its per cent to USD 4.44 billion in India’s real GDP to grow at 9.6 and said that the move would despite firm Asian cues. irav Modi has lost the first technology partner, according April as against USD 2.77 bil- oody’s Investors Service per cent in 2021 and 7 per cent position India as a strong glob- Persistent foreign fund Nstage of his extradition to an official source. lion in the same month last Mon Wednesday slashed in 2022,” al destination for voice BPOs. outflows added to the selling appeal in the High Court here, )     Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel year, government data showed India’s growth projection to 9.6 Moody’s said in a report The distinction between momentum, though a recovery just over two months after the and Vodafone Idea were given on Wednesday. Total FDI, per cent for 2021 calendar year titled “Macroeconomics India: domestic and international in the rupee capped the losses, wanted diamond merchant’s      the spectrum in May to con- including equity, re-invested from its earlier estimate of Economic shocks from second OSPs has been removed. traders said. extradition to India was duct 5G trials across select earnings and capital, rose 38 13.9 per cent, and said faster Covid wave will not be as A BPO centre with com- The 30-share BSE bench- ordered by UK Home Secretary # +6 cities in India. per cent to USD 6.24 billion in Covid vaccination will be para- severe as last year’s”. Flagging mon telecom resources will mark ended 282.63 points or Priti Patel in the estimated “(The) DoT has allocated April this year, as against USD mount in restricting econom- low innoculation rate, it said now be able to serve customers 0.54 per cent lower at 52,306.08 USD 2-billion Punjab National New Delhi:Finance Minister spectrum to MTNL for 5G tri- 4.53 billion in April 2020, as per ic losses to June quarter. faster vaccination progress will located worldwide including in in choppy trade. Similarly, the Bank (PNB) scam case. Nirmala Sitharaman on als in Delhi. It will conduct tri- the data. “During April, 2021 The US-based rating be paramount in restricting India. The easing of guidelines broader NSE Nifty declined The case was before a High Wednesday said the govern- als in partnership with C- FDI equity inflows amounting agency said high-frequency economic losses to the current would lead to cost-saving and 85.80 points or 0.54 per cent to Court judge for a decision “on ment will actively pursue cases DoT,” the official source told to USD 4.44 billion were economic indicators show that quarter. As of the third week in better utilisation for BPO com- 15,686.95. the papers” submitted for the against economic offenders to PTI. The state-owned telecom reported in the country which the second wave of Covid-19 June, only about 16 per cent of panies. With removal of the Kotak Bank was the top appeal to determine if there are bring back defrauded money of firm will conduct trials in the is an increase of 60 per cent infections hit India’s economy the population had received distinction between domestic loser among the Sensex con- any grounds for an appeal banks. The remark came soon Najafgarh area of Delhi. over the FDI equity inflow of in April and May. With states one vaccine dose; of those, and international OSP cen- stituents, shedding 1.32 per against the Home Secretary’s after the Enforcement According to the DoT, 5G April, 2020 (USD 2.77 bil- now easing restrictions, eco- only about 3.6 per cent had tres, the interconnectivity cent, followed by L&T, Tata decision on April 16 or the Directorate (ED) said the Debts technology is expected to deliv- lion),” the commerce and nomic activity in May is likely been fully vaccinated. between all types of OSP cen- Steel, TCS, Axis bank, ICICI Westminster Magistrates Court Recovery Tribunal (DRT) has er 10 times better download industry ministry said in a to signify the trough, it said in While infection rates have tres, is now permitted.”We have Bank, HDFC and Reliance February ruling in favour of sold shares worth over 5,800 speed than that of 4G and up statement. Measures taken by a report on India. been declining and restric- today extensively liberalised Industries. Modi’s extradition to India to crore of United Breweries to three times greater spectrum the government on the fronts “The virus resurgence tions relaxed in many regions, OSP guidelines... This revolu- On the other hand, face charges of fraud and Limited (UBL) that were ear- efficiency.The duration of the of foreign direct investment adds uncertainty to India’s vaccination rates remain low. tionary step will make India a Maruti, Titan, Bajaj Finserv, money laundering. lier attached under the anti- trials at present is six months. (FDI) policy reforms, invest- growth forecast for 2021; how- As a result, the risk of subse- global destination for BPOs,” M&M, UltraTech Cement, A High Court official con- money laundering law as part This includes a time period of ment facilitation and ease of ever, it is likely that the eco- quent waves that could require Communications Minister HDFC Bank and SBI finished firmed that the permission to of an alleged bank fraud probe two months for procurement doing business have resulted in nomic damage will remain further lockdowns cannot be Ravi Shankar Prasad told with gains of up to 2.33 per appeal was “rejected on paper” against fugitive liquor baron and the setting up of the equip- increased FDI inflows into th restricted to the April-June ruled out. reporters. cent. on Tuesday, which leaves the Vijay Mallya. PTI ment. country, it added. 3   -      .        )  0'(+       243$45, conducted by online social said. '6/ media platform LocalCircles. The survey received over ask wearing compliance “Despite the most lethal 33,000 responses from citizens ndia’s largest iron ore pro- Mstill remains low in India Covid-19 wave that any coun- located in 312 districts of the Iducer, NMDC has produced despite it being one of the try in the world has experi- country. 34.15 million tonnes and sold worst hit by the second wave of enced so far, India’s mask com- According to the survey 33.25 million tonnes of iron ore Covid-19, according to findings pliance is still low as indicated findings, only 32 per cent of cit- during the financial year 2020- of a survey. by the survey finding where 67 izens in the survey note that 21. This is an 8% growth in The mask compliance at per cent of citizens say there is there was limited mask com- production and 6% in sales vaccination centres also limited or no mask compliance pliance at the vaccination cen- from the 31.49 million tonnes remains low, as per the survey in their area, district, or city,” it tre they recently visited. produced and 31.51 million tonnes sold during FY 2019-20, achieved in an undoubtedly challenging year. NMDC’s turnover for FY 2020-21 is 15,370 crore against 11,699 crore during FY 2019-20. ,.)   2 ,  02  7 IC of India crossed anoth- Ler milestone today by embarking upon a new Centralized Web-based Work- flow-based IT platform for its Group Business operations. Chairman of LIC of India, MR Kumar inaugurated the Go Live of the project e-PGS in a formal ceremony held today at 10:30 Hours at Yogakshema, Central Office, Mumbai in the presence of Managing Directors VipinAnand, Mukesh Gupta, Raj Kumar and S Mohanty. Shri Rakesh Sharma, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of IDBI Bank received the first digital receipt, generated onnew IT platform, to the Bank as Master Policy Holder in one of its group policies from The inaugural ceremony was joined online from 204 locations across the entire country.    !" # $ 3   O&  '())*((& +  (&  '(  ', (  *  (& P L * /& ! &(( '011   1(1 , 12& =.2;/1

#        +")#1 - -#

o many performers are today flex- nered critical and popular appreciation. demonstrated time and again that, as an Chhapaak (2020) and a starring role in ing their acting prowess with equal actor, she will never let herself be boxed the recent Ginni Weds Sunny, opposite Sease on, both, streaming platforms Sayani Gupta in a specific genre or format. Yami Gautam. and films. Here is our pick of five of such This graduate from the Film and versatile talents: Television Institute of India (FTII), is Jaideep Ahlawat truly a new-age star whose unconven- Vikrant’s journey has been che- For this FTII graduate, the success Mukul Chadda tional choices have resulted in a very quered and spans diverse platforms. of his idol, Irrfan Khan, was a beacon in Mukul left New York and a thriving interesting creative journey. Sayani made Starting with the 2004 television series, the dark years he spent struggling for career as a banker because his heart her debut in 2012 in Second Marriage Kahaan Hoon Main, he tried his best to meaty roles. In 2008, Jaideep made his craved for a life in the arts. He arrived Dot Com but her breakout role was as adapt to the entertainment trends of the debut in a short film Narmeen and went in Mumbai without a blueprint for his the visually-challenged love interest of day by working in shows like Dharam on to play many small parts till his role future but memories of doing theatre in Veer, Balika Vadhu, Baba Aiso Varr as Shahid Khan in college and attending classes at the Lee Dhoondo, and Qubool Hai. His debut (2012) and as Khalid Mir in (2017) 5  film appearance in (2014), and got him some much-deserved attention. then a role in (2015) But stardom and a award came showed us a glimpse of the actor who has more potential than he has been given    credit for. With 2017's critically acclaimed film A Death In The Gunj, he proof’ meal ticket for life. Chadda is emerging as an actor who can effortless- ly adapt to cinematic and OTT narratives without missing a beat. Radhika Apte From someone who made her debut s the diversity in content takes centre stage, in 2005 with a fleeting appearance in a AOTT as an industry has reached new now-forgotten film, Vaah! Life Ho Toh heights. For the global entertainment scene, the Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute Aisi!, Radhika has grown enormously to past year has been a mixed bag. After rigorous began to guide his choices. He soon become the unofficial queen of OTT turmoil, the industry partially got back on its found himself working in films like Ek productions and an acclaimed film with the -produced feet because of the rise of OTT consumption. Main Aur Ekk Tu, Island Cty, I, Me Aur actor, be it in commercial hits like web series Paatal Lok. This perfor- With the advent of work from home culture, Main et al along with shows like Bichoo Badlapur and or an inde- Kalki Koechlin in Shonali Bose’s mance truly heralded his arrival as a coupled with outdoor restriction, streaming Ka Khel and Gurgaon. He also played a pendent film like Raat Akeli Hai. Many acclaimed film, Margarita With A Straw. star who could lead a show as its pro- platforms witnessed a jump in subscription rev- jovial and rather clueless boss in the credit her with changing the scope and She gave another noticeable perfor- tagonist. Even in an anthology like enue. Interestingly, after a few years of launch, Indian adaptation of the popular span of female performances in OTT mance, as part of the ensemble cast, in showed what an accomplished actor he Ajeeb Daastaans, he stood out for his OTT platforms reached a new level of subscrip- American sitcom, The Office. This shows. Her ability to exude both charis- Leena Yadav’s Parched. In Anubhav really is and even won a Filmfare Award portrayal of a gay man who is unable tion revenue when compared to the broadcast month, he is celebrating the release of an ma and earthy simplicity has seen her Sinha’s, Article 15, her wrenching histri- nomination in the category of Best Actor to embrace his sexuality openly. Today industry which took years to gain the current OTT series, Sunflower and the much- churn out flawless performances in onics gave the film much of its truthful- – Critics. In the OTT space, he has he is being offered diverse roles in OTT levels. This, in turn, has provided an opportu- awaited film Sherni. In the former, titles as diverse as Manjhi – The ness. In films like Axone, Jolly LLB 2, Fan, carved a niche for himself with success productions as well as films. Even as nity to not only experiment with content but which is a dark crime comedy, he plays Mountain Man, Parched, Phobia, Pad and Baar Baar Dekho, her presence was stories like Mirzapur, Criminal Justice Jaideep treads a path that was painstak- also create something that resonates with the a rather mercurial, short-tempered char- Man, , Bazaar, A Call To Spy, unmistakable and each performance was and in the second seasons of Broken But ingly carved by predecessors like Irrfan audience. acter and in Sherni, he portrays a rather Stories by Rabindranath Tagore, Ghoul, different from the other. She also went Beautiful. And bigger film roles are also and Manoj Bajpayee, there is no doubt unimaginative spouse who believes his and Sacred games. Along the way, she has on to command stardom in the OTT hit coming his way, including the lead role that he has already created a success Wider growth wife’s government job is a ‘recession- scooped up various awards and also gar- Four more shots please!. Sayani has opposite in story that is uniquely his own. With hyperactive internet users and increased internet penetration in the country, studios and platforms are creating storylines ince the pandemic has taken inspired by people’s behaviour in the region. Sover, most of our lives have been The notable thing here is that the content is consumed by the digital world. Be either dubbed in multiple languages with the it work, entertainment or socialis- scripts and references that make people con- ing, digital screens have become an nect with a show across the country or it is cre- indispensable part of everyday ated for a specific region. A good example of life. that would be MX Player’s Samantar that has Excessive screen time is a suspenseful storyline that any Maharashtrian putting an enormous strain on could relate to. Such regional content is espe- your eyes, which can be really cially consumed in the native areas of the coun- harmful in the long run. try amidst the digital progression and easy Want to combat increased availability of smartphones at an affordable screen time in easy and effective price. ways? Read on for five ways to give Regional content creation has its advan- your eyes a protective detox from tages, an immersive storyline could potential- digital screens. ly be created at 30-40 per cent lower cost with larger viewership. Consumption of regional Use eyeglasses with BLU- content is expected to double, with over a bil- cut lenses lion of the population having a smartphone by This one is a must-have if you the next decade. Currently, streaming services are part of the WFH team. If exces- have more subscribers than people with a cable sive screen time is absolutely connection. As per a report by FICCI, region- unavoidable for you because of al languages will make up 60 per cent of tele- work, this is the solution for you. vision consumption by 2025 from around 55 Eyeglasses with BLU-cut or com- per cent in 2020 and around 50 per cent of puter lenses are an easy and effec- streaming video consumption from 30 per cent tive way to protect your eyes. These in 2019. Keeping the demand for regional con- lenses keep at bay the harmful tent in mind, big media platforms like Amazon effects of blue rays emanating Prime Video, Zee5, Hotstar and Voot are keen from digital screens. These not on producing regional content for the masses. only add protection and function- ality to your work life but also Scope undeniable style for the virtual Regional markets have a lot of potential and meetings you attend throughout -   scope in the future because many of them are the day. Check out John Jacobs’ underserved, which means there’s room for high-quality yet affordable BLU growth. Due to the increase in demand, mar- eyeglasses range to balance out keters have realised that simply dubbing excessive screen time. Give your 4        or English advertising into local languages will eyes the digital detox they ) O$     no longer suffice, therefore they have started deserve. including modest local language additions to !     O"41 their ads or are attempting to compose local Reduce screen brightness language scripts in English. With digital plat- on all devices >,>1      forms making significant progress in terms of Adjusting screen brightness content creation — as they seek new methods to suit the time of the day and !  to thrill their audiences — local material will your lifestyle is an easy way to receive a significant boost, which will benefit reduce eye strain. Almost every your eyes than a good ol’ fash- Increase the font size on regional cinema greatly. digital device available today has ioned coffee break! Give your your devices settings for night mode and yel- eyes rest in between work meet- A lot of what we do on our Future of the digital era low light. These can be automat- ings and assignments and chill screens involves reading. Almost The consumption of digital content has ed to custom timings and aligned with a cuppa. Listen to calming every digital device today has set- unquestionably expanded dramatically over with your schedule seamlessly. music or simply meditate on tings that allow you to adjust font time. People have been riveted to the screen for Lux is an interesting app available your day — but keep the phone size. Larger font size is essential to Marathi comedy, south-Indian action, Bengali for android devices that allows down and let your laptop go to ensure that all the other measures crime thrillers, and romantic narratives in all you to customise and adjust your sleep for a 15-minute periodic you take for protecting your eyes languages, and OTT platforms have recently screen brightness. It has features break every now and then. This work together in harmony. This Here’s a recommendation advised as an add-on even when ment and social life are essential. discovered that regional shows are attracting the like renowned blue light filtering will not only boost your produc- helps you relax your eyesight and straight from the ophthalmologist's you wear computer eyeglasses and However, it's equally important, if most viewers. The consumption of regional with easy navigation guides and tivity but also combat watering or reduce the strain. office! You must be wondering, switch the night mode on in your not more, to take care of our material is expected to increase in the next few a smooth, simple interface. burning eyes that occur due to Techlicious’ guide on how to what is the 20-20-20 rule? It rec- devices. Download the Eye Care 20 health. Luckily, these simple hacks years, particularly on streaming platforms, as continuous and uninterrupted increase text size on phones, tablets ommends that digital screen users 20 20 app, it automates the process can help us all effectively combat non-metro audiences continue to lead internet Take frequent breaks from screen exposure. We love and computers is a handy read for divert their attention from screens for you when you are working or the negative effects of increased user growth. the screen Country Bean’s aromatic and this purpose. every 20 minutes and look at watching something and makes it screen exposure. Go on, give your Sometimes, there is nothing innovative flavours for our much objects 20 feet away for 20 seconds. super easy to follow this useful tip. eyes a better chance to last in the (The author is managing director of a film more effective and relaxing for needed coffee breaks! Use The 20-20-20 rule This one really works and is Balancing work, entertain- long run. studio which was set up in 1946.) /2; =?/ , ( (&# )$) " ,0 " 1)"0&!  N=',!   O       $ ". - /'0"           !  $-). / ) )$ ,        1   )  ! 1             ',    !                 2  $  *  '    3 /)  N  !   )  " !#                    7   "  *91DD P ',  ! ,)     " *  * 3        $ !          !$  O  $ 5  ' )       ' L,O  !           '     "       L"   !    )          *      ! '  M>      ! ,            ,        '  'O 'O    'M    !" # $ ( !! &(( '011   1(1 1--,6-."2#1292..2/ 

What is the genesis of the YUVA: process as it demands a lot of time and these stories themselves. So the idea is to Prime Minister’s Scheme For Mentoring effort. This is even more so when there gift the youth the knowledge of their / #+$)/ Young Authors? is a dearth of available opportunities that country’s past in a way that also allows The Prime Minister of India, can acknowledge and hone raw talent. At them to effectively contribute to it — by Narendra Modi, in his Mann Ki Baat, on the time when I started writing, there was documenting history through their writ- ) ) -)# / January 31, called upon ‘youngsters to no easy way to publish written work. It ing. write about our freedom fighters, events is with the knowledge that young writ- associated with them and tales of valour ers across India face similar challenges, A crucial facet of the PM’s YUVA Samajik Adhikarita Shivir for distribution of aids during freedom struggle from their that we have introduced this scheme — scheme is its multilingual submis- Aand assistive devices to divyangjan under the areas’. That provided us with the vision to make authorship more accessible and sions. Can you highlight this aspect? ADIP Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and to launch the first-ever multi-lingual to create a platform that many writers like India’s societal landscape is recog- Empowerment, Government of India, was organised authors’ mentorship scheme at the myself did not get in the past. nised the world over for its opulent diver- by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with national level to provide a platform to the sity with regard to culture, traditions and Disabilities (DEPwD) in association with ALIMCO young writers to pen their thoughts on How do you think this scheme will value systems. But our country is espe- and District Administration Jamnagar at various known and unknown facets of help young authors in the future? cially well-known for its multi-linguistic Dhanwantari Auditorium, near DKV Circle, the National Movement as part of the I believe that this scheme will allow character because many languages har- Jamnagar, Gujarat. Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav programmes. many young writers to publish their work moniously coexist to create a varied lin- A total of 6,225 aids and assistive devices val- and that I, in turn, will inspire them to guistic panorama. And as each language ued at 3.57 crore were distributed free of cost to What are the main salient features of work further on their writing skills. I is unique in its mode of description and 3,805 divyangjan at Block/Panchayat levels by fol- the scheme? think a majority of the young authors vocabulary, we want to ensure that the lowing the SOP prepared by the department because Any young and budding writer selected through this scheme will go on perspectives and stories from across the of the pandemic. below the age of 30 years (as of June 1, to inculcate a great literary acumen and country’s multi-lingual fabric are por- Speaking on the occasion, Vijay Rupani, Chief 2021) is eligible to participate in the ongo- will become prolific writers of the future. trayed in this scheme to create a rich nar- Minister, Gujarat, said, “The society which does not ing ‘all India contest’. It will end on July They will definitely put India on the lit- rative of India, its glorious past and its care about divyangjan is itself a disabled society. 31. The contestants can send their entry erary map of the world and one or more illustrious future. This will promote a Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the cen- in any of the 22 languages listed in the of them might even win international much better understanding among var- tral government has implemented various welfare 8th schedule of the Constitution and awards like the Nobel Prize in Literature. ious linguistic factions in contemporary schemes in the interest of the country. In 2016, the English, provided their entry in any way I say so because I believe that the young times. ‘Right To Person With Disability Act’ was brought relates to the National Movement. They writers of India are capable of both writ- under the leadership of the PM, which not only pro- need to send their entry in a maximum ings about history and creating history. The scheme also includes vides more security but also ensures and protects the of 5,000 words, and if selected, through NRI(s)/PIO(s). What is the idea behind fundamental rights of the person with disabilities a well-structured Mentorship pro- The core of the YUVA theme is this? across the nation.” gramme, the scripts will be developed by the exciting world of writing, creating, standing the power of words, aims to India@75. What is the vision behind it? The scheme wants to give all people, Union Minister for Social Justice and the authors into a full-fledged book. A ideating, editing, publishing, interaction encourage young writers to hone their The scheme is an opportunity for the who are rooted in India’s culture and eth- Empowerment, Thaawarchand Gehlot, said, “The total of 75 authors will be selected under with the national and internationally craft so that they can optimise their youth to display their work on a presti- nic background, a chance to write about Central government has released around 8.06 crore the scheme, and on selection, they will acclaimed authors, and seeks to open a potential and become thought leaders of gious platform, but it is simultaneously the country’s national movement, its funds in Gujarat under scholarship program bene- be offered a scholarship of 50,000 per door to a world of creative opportunities. the future. It aims to encourage author- a chance for them to delve into the defin- heroes and its history in general. And to fitting 2,808 beneficiaries. Around 709 railway sta- month for six months. Moreover, the ship and the writing aspirations of the ing period of India’s history. Since pro- ensure that Indians from across the world tions, 10,175 bus stops and 683 websites have been National Book Trust, India, which is the This type of scheme has not been Indian youth by providing them an ficient writing requires voracious read- can participate and express their view covered under Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan. Looking Implementing Agency for the Scheme, attempted on a national scale before. opportunity to present their work before ing, this theme of the National Movement about the country, this scheme has at the interest in sports among the divyangjan of the will be publishing the books, and would How does it aim to encourage author- the reading masses. will encourage the young authors to learn allowed submissions from PIO(s)/NRI(s). country and their good performance in Paralympics, also offer royalties to the authors, in orig- ship and the writing aspirations of the about the freedom struggle, its celebrat- We should also never forget the crucial the Ministry has decided to establish five Divyangta inal language as well as possible translat- Indian youth? Since you are also an acclaimed ed heroes and their sacrifices for the role played by the Indian diaspora com- Khel Kendra in different parts of the country.” ed editions, as per its norms. So, the A nation’s literature is an important author, how do you see the scheme? nation. In the process, they might munity in furthering the cause and Addressing the occasion, Anjali Bhawra, scheme is structured to provide a 360- way to chronicle a nation’s journey As an author myself, I can attest to encounter unsung heroes, whose stories ideals of the national movement and Secretary, DEPwD, Ministry of Social Justice and degree exposure to the young authors to through time. This scheme, in under- the fact that becoming a writer is a tough are yet to be written and they might write identity. Empowerment, Government of India, elaborated on the details of the schemes. She said that the govern- ment has taken several steps for employing divyang- SYNCHRONY BAGS 5TH PLACE jan and skill training programmes are being conduct- Synchrony, a consumer financial services com- +      2 ed to empower them. pany, has been ranked 5th among India’s Best The high-end products which are to be distrib- Companies to Work for in 2021 by the Great Place uted in the camp include 220 battery-operated to Work Institute (GPTW). This recognition high- space at home along with a comprehensive benefits Recognising employees’ continued desire to help by the Great Place to Work Institute (GPTW), motorised tricycles, 665 tricycles, 385 wheelchairs, lights Synchrony’s efforts to create an environment programme. It also helped employees balance the others, Synchrony also launched its ‘Gear Up which is a gold standard for workplace culture 998 crutches, 621 walking sticks, 60 rollators, 185 that is caring, inclusive, collaborative, and innova- new demands of work and life and stay motivated Campaign’, which leveraged employee, partner, assessment. It has been ranked 68 in the largest smartphones, 437 smart cane, 40 daisy player, 24 tive despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. and focussed through virtual engagement activities. and cardholder networks to make and distribute pro- workplace culture study in the country through braille kit, six braille cane, 856 MSIED kit, 165 ADL Synchrony has earned the coveted recognition for Speaking on the occasion, Andy Ponneri, tective gear such as masks and face shields. an objective and rigorous workplace culture kit (for leprosy), 606 hearing aids, 765 artificial limbs. four consecutive years and the rank has gone up to Senior Vice President and Business Leader, Synchrony’s Diversity Networks further promote assessment process. Anjali Bhawra, Secretary, Department of 5th this year from 27th last year. Synchrony India, said, “Being recognised as a Great an inclusive culture that celebrates individuality POWERGRID has also won the recognition of Empowerment of Person with Disability (DPEwD), The company has more than 120 people with Place to Work, especially in this challenging year, fur- and fosters collaboration. being India’s Best Employers in the Nation- Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, disabilities and more than 42 per cent women ther demonstrates our commitment to being a com- Builders 2021 category. Figuring consistently in Government of India, Dr Prabodh Seth, Joint employees. In the face of the unprecedented pan- pany that puts people first and maintains a high-trust POWERGRID MAKES IT GPTW’s Best Workplaces List is a testimony of its Secretary, DEPwD, Ministry of Social Justice and demic, the company prioritised the health, safety, and culture with a positive and empowering working The Power Grid Corporation of India Limited sound human resource management policies and Empowerment, Government of India, D R Sarin, wellness of employees, and quickly moved its environment. At Synchrony, our employees are our (POWERGRID), a Maharatna PSU under the employee-friendly approach. CMD ALIMCO were present virtually and Ravi workforce home. The company provided employ- greatest asset and we are committed to supporting Ministry of Power, Government of India, has Earlier, POWERGRID has also been recognised Shankar, Collector, Jamnagar, also attended the func- ees with assistance for the set-up of ergonomic office their wellbeing and success.” again been recognised as a ‘Great Place to Work’ in the coveted Forbes Global Best Employers List. tion ‘in person’. India organises summit on green hydrogen initiatives

ndia hosted a two-day summit on in the energy mix. hydrogen’. It has no carbon footprint. This works to gain widespread acceptance. IGreen Hydrogen initiatives involving As the world rapidly moves to gives hydrogen the edge over other fuels Further scaling up with greening of hard the BRICS nations. The event was decarbonise the entire energy system, to unlock various avenues of green to abate sectors (like steel and cement) anchored by NTPC Ltd. The virtual sum- hydrogen is poised to play a vital role and usage. The summit aimed to address the through hydrogen is to be explored. mit brought the best brains, policymak- build on the rapid scale-up of renewable challenges in terms of technology, effi- Many countries have brought out their ers and major stakeholders from the resources across the world. Hydrogen, ciency, financial viability and scaling up. strategies and defined targets and BRICS nations deliberating and dis- when produced by electrolysis, using Green hydrogen blending up to 10 roadmaps based on their resources and cussing at length the future of hydrogen renewable energy, is known as ‘green per cent may be adopted in CGD net- strengths. 0  $< 6 $  

1A  #  .))5    3   #     2 1 !)  3  ,*  24.9 3  224.1      9    1* 1 -   ! $    

IC of India crossed another milestone by from the Insurer’s Office. All the features and ser- Lembarking upon a new centralised web-based vices will be launched in a phased manner spread workflow-based IT platform for its Group over the next three months. Business operations. The Chairman of LIC of Vipin Anand, MD of LIC, informed that the India, M R Kumar, inaugurated the ‘Go Live’ pro- new technology platform is designed to cater to ject, ‘e-PGS’, in a formal ceremony in the presence the expectations of technology-intensive corpo- of Managing Directors Vipin Anand, Mukesh rate customers and will change the face of cus- Gupta, Raj Kumar and S Mohanty. The inaugur- tomer service on a group business platform. The al ceremony was joined online from 204 locations new system is capable of high-level integration VIT-AP UNIVERSITY tant developments of modern yoga in of International Yoga Day. A live across the entire country by all the zonal managers, with customers’ technology systems for seamless International Yoga Day celebrations her inaugural address during the online demonstration was conducted by a yoga executive directors in charge of central office transfer of data and services. LIC will soon launch were held virtually on June 21 at VIT- O 1  camp organised at the corporate office scholar from S-VYASA, Dr Rakshita departments, regional managers, unit heads and a customer awareness campaign for new IT sys- AP University. Durga Shaktamma and of SPMCIL. She urged to adopt yoga Nayak. all employees of the Group Business Vertical of tem capabilities so that the benefits can be Dandu Srinivasa Raju (Senior Faculties, ;  <   regularly in daily life. SRM MCH & RC’s Pro Vice LIC of India. reaped by all customers to save time and energy. Art of Living), Dr Uma Valli (Ayurvedic       Sunil Kumar Sinha, Director (HR) Chancellor (Medical and Health The new technology platform is designed to K S Nagnyal, Executive Director for Group Physicians), Dr Agam Das Goswami and Ajay Agarwal, Director (Finance) Sciences) Lt Col Dr A Ravikumar said, provide centralised collection and payment Business informed that the Group Business (Faculty, VIT-AP University) attended (  %! were also present online. Yoga sessions “Self-discipline can help master the accounting with a high level of bank integration Vertical of the corporation, which accounts for as Resource Person for this celebration. >(  %!9* and various programmes were also world, not in terms of being a ruler but through the host to host connectivity and provide 77.69 per cent share of group business of the Life Dr Uma explained the importance organised in all the units of the SPM- understanding the meaning of life and very innovative features of seamless and integrat- Insurance industry, will leverage the new IT plat- of Ayurvedic treatments. The Vice   CIL. knowing how to lead a healthy life. Good ed banking with automatic reconciliations. The form for enhancing the customer experience at a Chancellor of VIT-AP University, Dr S     health should consist of being mental- new system, e-PGS, is capable of providing com- world-class level and the same will support in mar- V Kota Reddy, Registrar Dr CLV SRM INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND ly, physically, and spiritually well. If one prehensive self-servicing capabilities through a keting and servicing of group business operations. Sivakumar, Live Club Coordinator, Dr   2 TECHNOLOGY has a calm mind, the body will also be customer portal where corporate customers will The Group Business vertical of LIC specially caters C H Deepak, students, teachers and staff &     Over 100 students and staff of SRM calm. This is what yoga teaches us — to be able to view their data, initiate actionable to various term insurance needs and retirement participated in the celebrations. Institute of Science and Technology control our body, mind and spirit.” processes, lodge and track claims. solutions for employers on the group platform. It SPMCIL  %!3P (SRMIST) participated in the virtual lec- The vote of thanks was presented by Some of the services will be launched on the is felt that the launch of a new IT platform marks Tripti Patra Ghosh, chairman and ture-demonstration, on yoga for immu- SRM MCH & RC’s Dean (School of green channel with end-to-end processing at the the beginning of a new era in customer servicing MD, SPMCIL, highlighted the impor- nity and wellness, held on the occasion Public Health), Dr Padma Venkat. customer level itself without manual intervention for group business.    !" # $

off the post after he collected a 3 # raking pass from Luke Shaw. As chants of “Football’s     Coming Home” rang around the stadium, captain Kane — 4     heavily criticised for his tooth- less performances in the tourna-    ment so far — shot from dis- tance and Grealish let fly.   England broke the deadlock in the 12th minute, when   Grealish, on the left side of the penalty area, lifted the ball to the 4!  back post, where Sterling head-   ed in for his second goal of Euro 2020. !!  Grealish and Man-Of-The- Match Saka were inventive and direct on either side of Kane, showing a willingness to run at their opponents. )    ,-   #      P        Kane went close midway through the first half, forcing a (2' fine left-handed save from   #-    Tomas Vaclik and thumping the ground in frustration. 623-#2. But the Czechs carried a  %51/%3 Zlatko Dalic said of the 35-year- forced to isolate as close contacts threat of their own on their for- old. and, roared on by 12,000 fans ays forward, growing in menace cotland’s shot at reaching the “We expect that Luka will go inside Hampden, started on the as the half wore on. Sknockout stage of a major down, lose his strength, but he front foot. Tomas Holes forced a flying tournament for the first time is the force that pulls the whole Che Adams was inches -3 ,36 save from England goalkeeper were ended in a 3-1 defeat to a team. Anything I would say away from connecting with Jordan Pickford just before the Luka Modric-inspired Croatia at about Luka would not be suffi- John McGinn’s dangerous cross half-hour and Tomas Soucek Hampden Park on Tuesday that cient. I’m very proud to have that Dominik Livakovic did fired wide of the left post. took the World Cup runners-up such a player as part of our well to turn behind for a corner.  52$2 5  D'&E 3P     )5#  " F3 Liverpool midfielder into the last 16 of Euro 2020. team.” Croatia had barely threat- Henderson replaced Declan After ending a 23-year wait Ivan Perisic’s header rubbed ened before they went in front aheem Sterling scored the four points. The Czech Republic “Different sorts of tests. All bringing in Saka among four Rice at half-time and the Czechs just to qualify for a major tour- salt into Scottish wounds 13 on 17 minutes. only goal as England will join them in the last 16 as of our next opponents will be changes to his side. made their own change, bring- nament, another historic feat minutes from time as Croatia Perisic headed down a loft- Rfound an attacking spark one of the best third-placed different games. There is a lot of Chelsea midfielder Mason ing on Petr Sevcik for Jakub was beyond Steve Clarke’s men pipped the Czech Republic to ed ball into the box and Vlasic to beat the Czech Republic 1-0 teams. good things we are doing. We Mount was unavailable as he was Jankto. who were undone by a moment second place in Group D behind found space between three at Wembley on Tuesday and With just two goals scored, are getting minutes for a lot of isolating due to coronavirus The sides were evenly of magic from Modric. England. Scotland defenders to fire low clinch top spot in Group D at England are the lowest-scoring the players. Ninety minutes for protocols while Southgate opted matched in the second half, with Callum McGregor cancelled Zlatko Dalic’s side will face into the corner. Euro 2020. side to ever finish top of a Harry Maguire was important to leave Phil Foden out to pre- the reduced crowd making an out Nikola Vlasic’s early open- the runner-up from Group E, Croatia then had the hosts The Manchester City for- group at a European tonight. Jordan Henderson get- vent the risk of a suspension. impressive noise in the cav- er to give the hosts hope head- featuring Spain, Sweden, chasing shadows for 10 minutes ward, who kept his place along- Championship but their defence ting 45 minutes is a step forward. Manchester United defend- ernous stadium. ing into half-time. Slovakia and Poland, in as the midfield maestros of side Harry Kane in a rejigged is yet to be breached. A lot of positives.” er Maguire made his first Both sides made further But Modric showed the Copenhagen next Monday. Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and attack also featuring Jack England now have the dubi- appearance of Euro 2020 along- changes as the match wore on class that made him the man to Scotland’s preparation had Mateo Kovacic took control of Grealish and Bukayo Saka, set- ous privilege of a potential GREALISH STARTS side John Stones in central and the intensity dipped, with break Lionel Messi and been blighted by the loss of Billy the game. tled fans’ nerves with an early match-up against world cham- There was clamour before defence. fans having to wait until the 83rd Cristiano Ronaldo’s grip on the Gilmour to a positive test for “Modric was incredible,” headed goal, which ultimately pions France, holders Portugal the match for Aston Villa cap- England started brightly in minute for the first attempt at Ballon d’Or in 2018, a stunning coronavirus after the 20-year-old said Arsenal defender Kieran proved decisive. or Germany but will have home tain Grealish to start to shake up the evening sunshine and goal in the second half. strike with the outside of his foot midfielder had shone on his first Tierney. “I think tonight was a The result means Gareth advantage on June 29. a blunt attack that produced an Sterling went agonisingly close Henderson briefly thought just after the hour mark restor- International start in 0-0 draw big learning curve for us all. Southgate’s side finish top of “We are not fluent but we insipid display in the 0-0 draw in just the second minute but he had scored his first England ing Croatia’s lead. against England on Friday. They’ve been there before, the their group with seven points have moments where we look a against Scotland. could only watch as his deft chip goal late on but it was ruled out “No one is sure how Luka But Clarke’s squad escaped quality they showed it was hard while Croatia are second with good side,” Southgate told ITV. Southgate obliged, also over the goalkeeper come back for offside. manages that,” Croatia boss without any other players being for us to get going.”  2  O 4 C+" - %&%&  9  > 7#  " - 2    ".= mark a month to go. But former Olympian there were concerns that this  '" 0  The Games will be unlike Hashimoto said the restric- (event) has become so huge,” Chandigarh: Haryana gov- he stripped-back Tokyo any other, with overseas fans tions were a chance to look she told reporters. “The ernment on Wednesday TGames, held despite the banned and athletes kept away beyond the usual pomp and Games tended to end with announced that sportspersons ongoing pandemic, will high- from the public. Competitors celebration that accompany extreme excitement, but from the state who win Gold light the Olympics’ ‘true val- have had to leave their fami- the Games, and to focus on the because of that the original medal in the upcoming Tokyo ues’, Tokyo 2020 chief Seiko lies behind and spectators will sport. “In recent years when I meaning and values... were not Olympics would be given a Hashimoto said as organisers be capped at 10,000 people. was participating as an athlete, fully communicated,” she cash amount of 6 crore. added. The state Government will give the Silver winners 4 crore while the Bronze medal- New Delhi: India’s Ravindra lists will get 2.50 crore. Jadeja on Wednesday dislodged The state sports minister West Indian Jason Holder as the Sandeep Singh announced this world’s top all-rounder in the while interacting with latest ICC Test rankings. Olympic medallists on the Cromwell: Indian golfer the country at the 340th posi- Jadeja is two points ahead occasion of International Anirban Lahiri says he wasn’t tion. of Holder (384) while England Olympic Day here, along with expecting to qualify for the “I know what it is to be an all-rounder Ben Stokes is third Chief Minister Manohar Lal Olympics given his below par Olympian as I’ve done it before on 377 points. Another Indian, Khattar. performance this year but now (in Rio) and I don’t want to be Ravichandran Ashwin is at Sandeep also said that 30 wants to make it count by just an Olympian. I want to win fourth with 353 points, fol- players taking part in the returning with a medal from the a medal, I want to do something lowed by Shakib Al Hasan of upcoming Tokyo Olympics Tokyo Games. that makes a difference,” said the Bangladesh (338). have been provided 5 lakh Lahiri on Tuesday made 33-year-old. Ashwin remained at second each as preparation amount. the cut for the Olympics at the “I know winning a PGA spot in the bowlers’ rankings on The Chief Minister said 60th spot, the last quota available TOUR event will do that but 850 points, below Pat Cummins medal winners at the as per the International Golf winning a medal would even do (908) of . Tim Southee International events will be Federation rankings. more. I do have a certain respon- (830) of is third. given Government jobs to “It was a big surprise, I was- sibility towards the game and my Among the batsmen, there encourage youngsters to take up n’t expecting it,” said Lahiri, who country.” was no change in top-five with to sports, a state Government is preparing for this week’s PGA The former Asian No 1 Indian captain Virat Kohli sta- statement said. PTI TOUR stop at the Travelers finished a lowly 57th in Rio tic at fourth on 814. Steve Smith Championship at TPC River while playing with an injury. But of Australia continued to be the Highlands, Connecticut. recently, there have been signs of top batsman on 891 points, fol- “Even though I’ve earned it, some good form returning fol- lowed by Kane Williamson I don’t feel like I’ve really earned lowing a recent T-25 finish at the (886) of New Zealand and it as I know how far below my Palmetto Championship at Marnus Labuschagne (878) of potential I’ve played this year. It’s Congaree. Australia. a gift and an opportunity, so why That has made him opti- England captain Joe Root would I throw it away.” mistic of his chances at the (797) is at number five, followed India was eligible for one Olympics to be held at the by the Indian pair of Rishabh spot and Lahiri qualified being Kasumigaseki Country Club Pant and Rohit Sharma at joint the highest-placed golfer from from July 29 to August 1. PTI at sixth on 747 points. PTI )     C  +A

 52$2 them down under this winter .. Quite simply if they can’t they ormer England skipper should call the Ashes off .. 4 FMichael Vaughan believes months away from your fami- the iconic Ashes series should ly is totally unacceptable .. be cancelled if families are not #Ashes,” Vaughan wrote on his allowed to travel with the play- Twitter handle. ers for the four-month long tour The report also drew a of Australia due to strict Covid- sharp response from former England captain Kevin 19 protocols. Pietersen, who feels players According shouldn’t be criticised if they to a report in decide to pull out of the series the UK media, due to such restrictions. there is still “Any ENG player that pulls uncertainty out of this Ashes, if they serious- whether fami- ly can’t see their families for lies of the vis- FOUR MONTHS, has my full iting England backing. Families are the most players will be important part of a players permitted to make up. And even more so in stay with them the current climate! FOUR during the MONTHS with no family on Ashes, begin- Ashes Tour?,” he tweeted. ning on Cricket Australia, however, December 8. on Wednesday said that a solu- “Read tion can be worked out and the reports today tournament is still many months that England away. “It’s only June and cricketers may England are not due to arrive not be able to until November,” a CA spokes- have family woman told the Sydney Morning members with Herald.