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GOLDEN GLOBES KREMLIN DOESN’T FLINCH 1ST TEST STARTS TODAY Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman has been Russia says arrests at protests against the jailing Virat Kohli-led Team India to take on nominated posthumously in the Best Actor of Opposition leader Alexei Navalny were a England in the first Test of the four-match series category in his last film LEISURE | P2 ‘necessary response’ INTERNATIONAL | P10 SPORTS | P12

VOLUME 10, ISSUE 304 | www.orissapost.com BHUBANESWAR | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5 | 2021 12 PAGES | `4.00 Peanuts allocated for Odisha THE TOTAL BUDGET OUTLAY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY RELATED WORKS FOR ODISHA IS `5,528 CRORE FOR 2021-22, WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE MANY OTHER PROJECTS AND ESTIMATES

PNN AGENCIES of Road Under Bridge and Over Bridges, Daitari-Tomka-Jahkapura is `228 crore order to eliminate level crossing of LC `4,500 crore of which only `500 crore and Limited Height Subway (LHS). against `80 crore last year, which is 185 Gates `400 crore has been sanctioned as has been allocated for the ongoing Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: The Centre has While claiming that the Narendra per cent increase. against `324 crore last year. State Khurda-Balangir railway project. allocated an outlay of 6,995.58 crore for Modi government has all along been This apart, more allocations have Transport and Commerce Minister He rejected the Railway's claim that Two jumbos killed by the state in the Railway Budget for cooperative towards railway infra- been made for other projects like - Padmanabh Behera, however, termed the `6,995.58 crore has been allocated for 2021-22, an official statement issued structure development in Odisha, Brundamal-Jharsuguda fly over (`20 allocation made for the railway sector different railway projects. "In the list by the East Coast Railway (ECoR) Union Steel Minister Dharmendra crore against `10 crore last year), in 2021-21 as “disappointing.” “There of the railway projects prepared by the goods train in Rourkela Thursday said. The amount is against Pradhan said Union Finance Minister Bhadrak-Nergundi 3rd Line (`229 crore is no sanction for any new rail line. Our Centre, many completed projects are the state’s demand for `7,200 crore. Nirmala Sitharaman has allocated against `102 crore last year), Budhapank- demand is not met. Practically Odisha mentioned only to increase the fig- AGENCIES While the Centre has claimed that `1,000.50 crore for Khurda Road- Salagaon (`215 crore against `205 crore will get only ` 4,500 crore which is much ure," Behera said. He said the state had the fresh allocation is about 60 per Bolangir project against the previous last year), Rourkela- Jharsuguda 3rd less than our expectation,” Behera said. demanded allocation for new railway Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: Two cent more than the previous 2020-21 fis- year’s allocation of `520 crore. line (`230 crore as against `170 crore Behera said the state had demanded projects like Puri-Konark, Bargarh- wild elephants were killed cal’s Railway Budget outlay of `5,759 The fresh allocation is an increase an increase of 35 per cent), Narayangarh- `7,200 crore of which `3,500 crore was Nuapada, Chakulia- Buramara and when a goods train hit them crore, the state government as well of 92.4 per cent from the previous Bhadrak 3rd Line (`225 crore as against for the pending projects and `3,700 Jajpur-Aradi-Dhamra among others. near Mahipani in Bisra area as the Opposition parties here have de- year's outlay for this project, Pradhan `50 crore, an increase of 350 per cent). crore for new projects. However, the MORE P3 of Rourkela in Sundargarh scribed the amount as “peanuts”. said. He urged the state government A ‘quantum jump’ has been given to Centre allo- district, an official said State Transport and Commerce to complete land acquisition for the proj- passenger amenities from `129 cated Thursday. Minister Padmanabh Behera, how- ect so that the allocated funds crore to `429 crore, the rail- RAILWAY only The movement of trains ever, termed the allocation made for the be utilised within 2021-22 ways said, adding on the route was affected restoration of rail traffic railway sector in 2021-21 as “disap- fiscal. Pradhan said this that in BUDGET for a few hours following on the route has been done,” pointing.” Expressing dismay over the railway project will con- the incident, a South Eastern said Nishant Kumar. Budget allocation, Biju Janta Dal (BJD) nect the coastal region 2021-22 Railway official said. He said that an investi- Rajya Sabha MP Amar Patnaik said that with the western “The goods train was gation into the unfortunate the Union government has not sanc- parts of the state. going towards Shalimar incident would be conducted. tioned fund for any new project. Similarly, funding from Nashik when the ac- Meanwhile, the incident “The total Budget outlay for devel- for railway line dou- cident happened. Restoration has triggered a blame game opment of infrastructure and safety re- bling projects espe- works have been completed between the state Forest de- lated works for Odisha is `5,528 crore for cially, Bansapani- and the train services re- partment and the Railway au- 2021-22, which does not include many sumed,” Bangamunda as- thorities. Tankadhar Behera, other projects and estimates as they are sistant station master Assistant Conservator of not significant enough for mention at min- Nishant Kumar said. Forests, Rourkela division, istry level, but for ECoR and Odisha, “It is an unfortunate in- said that the train speed at these are important development works,” cident. It happened around the time of the accident the statement said. ` 1 am Thursday when a herd would be looked into. The allotment has been significant `1,000.50 cr 228 cr `230 cr `129 cr of wild elephants was cross- An elephant was hit and for projects to be completed in 2020-21, HAS BEEN ing the tracks. Though it’s killed by Puri-Surat Express FOR ROURKELA- FOR it said, adding that funding is to ensure FOR KHURDA ALLOCATED TO difficult to explain the exact train near Bhabanipali be- JHARSUGUDA PASSENGER that no progress is hindered for lack ROAD-BOLANGIR FUND RAILWAY cause, I think it was due to tween Hatibari and 3RD LINE AMENITIES of funds. There has been a signifi- PROJECT LINE DOUBLING change of direction by ele- Maneswar Railway stations cant increase in outlay for passenger PROJECTS phants. Railway and forest under Sambalpur division amenities, road safety works, in terms officials are on the spot and December 20.

IRREGULAR by MANJUL Petrol, diesel prices Second COVID shot WOMAN’S BEHEADED at fresh high from February 13 PRESS TRUST OF INDIA BODY FOUND IN CITY New Delhi, Feb 4: Petrol and 1,239 private and 5,912 public hospitals are diesel prices Thursday climbed POST NEWS NETWORK to fresh highs in the country as being utilised as vaccination session sites rates were hiked by the most in re- Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: In a shock- cent times, even as fuel retailers AGENCIES ing incident, the headless body of an said the government can cut taxes unidentified woman was found in to ease consumer burden. New Delhi, Feb 4: The second Chandaka area on the outskirts of Petrol and diesel price was hiked dose of COVID-19 vaccines will be the Capital City, Thursday. However, by 35 paise per litre each after a gap administered to healthcare work- the police are yet to ascertain the of a week, according to price no- They are busy deciding ers from February 13, NITI Aayog identity of the deceased lady. tification of state-owned fuel re- tomorrow’s social media trends member Dr VK Paul said at a press According to sources, the torso tailers. The increase took petrol conference Thursday. of the lady, aged between 30 and prices to a fresh high of `86.65 a “The second dose of vaccine will “There is a very structured and 40 years, was spotted by some locals litre in Delhi and to `93.20 in be administered to healthcare work- robust system of AEFI monitoring at near Dasapur village on Dasapur- Police engaged sniffer dogs at the site where the body was found, Thursday Mumbai. Diesel rates touched TWO MINOR GIRLS ers from February 13. Only the in this country. It has been further Andharua Road under Chandaka `76.83 in Mumbai and an all-time first dose has been given to them strengthened in view of COVID-19 Police limits. On being informed, was dumped at the spot. Sources in kept in the Capital Hospital morgue high of `83.67. CHARRED TO DEATH so far,” he said. During the press con- vaccination. We have 8,563 AEFI so police rushed to the spot and ini- the police have denied that the de- since Thursday afternoon after au- TIKIRI: In a tragic incident, two ference, Union Health Secretary far when we have done vaccination tiated a probe. ceased was abused sexually as her topsy. On the other hand, DCP CITY FUEL PRICE minor girls were charred to death Rajesh Bhushan said that 1,239 pri- in lakhs. This is 0.18% of vacci- The beheaded body was sent to clothes had no such signs. Umashankar Dash has urged every- PETROL: 87.31 (+0.34) while guarding a vegetable farm at vate and 5,912 public hospitals were nated people,” he said. 45,93,427 ben- Capital Hospital for post-mortem. However, the broken bangles one to contact the police if they DIESEL: 83.69 (+0.37) Lakris village under Kashipur block being utilised as vaccination ses- eficiaries have been vaccinated Meanwhile, a forensic science team near the dead body indicate that the come across any information re- in Rayagada district, Thursday. sion sites. Bhushan added that the against COVID-19 till 1.30pm of the police collected vital items victim offered stiff resistance to garding any missing in the age Mukesh Kumar Surana, head of The deceased were identified as country’s Adverse Event Following Thursday. India is the fastest coun- like gloves, a big knife, broken ban- the accused before being killed. group of 30-40 years. India’s third-largest fuel retailer Kumari Majhi, 5, and her sister Immunization (AEFI) system was try to reach four million vaccinations. gle samples and a liquor bottle from The police suspect that the ac- Speaking to Orissa POST, Dash Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Bidya Majhi, 3, both daughters of robust and was strengthened for the However, Union Health Ministry the scene. Police thoroughly ex- cused may have taken the severed said, “Investigation is on to iden- Ltd, said there has been a sudden Duryodhan Majhi of the village. purpose of COVID-19 vaccinations. said that 11 states and Union amined the place with the help of head in a bag belonging to the lady tify of the lady and her alleged spike in international oil prices to The kids were warming He also noted that 0.18% of vacci- Territories, including Tamil Nadu, sniffer dogs. after discarding her clothes, source killer. It will take some time to $59 per barrel in the last 2-3 days themselves around a bonfire when nations were followed by adverse Assam and Jammu & Kashmir, have It is suspected that the woman added. solve the case due to dearth of because of a perception of mis- fire engulfed a nearby hay stack events. inoculated 30% beneficiaries. was killed elsewhere and her body The body of the lady has been enough evidence.” match in demand and supply. on the farm and burnt them. Parents of the duo were away to bring food during at the time of the mishap.

MARKET WATCH UK Parliament to consider debate on farmers’ issue

INDEX VARIATION THE UK PARLIAMENT’S PETITIONS COMMITTEE WILL CONSIDER A WESTMINSTER HALL DEBATE ON THE FARMERS’ PROTESTS AND PRESS FREEDOM IN INDIA

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA internal affairs of a democratic In London, a UK government SENSEX 50614.29 358.54 country. I AM STILL WITH FARMERS: GRETA spokesperson said, “Media free- London, Feb 4: The UK Parliament’s The Ministry of External Affairs dom is vital for the protection of BOURSES NIFTY 14895.70 105.70 Petitions Committee will consider (MEA) in New Delhi issued a state- NEW DELHI: Greta Thunberg's tweets on human rights and journalists all DOLLAR 72.99 `0.18 a Westminster Hall debate in the ment on Wednesday to highlight farmers have been cited in a case filed around the world must be free to do House of Commons complex on that the Parliament of India had Thursday by the Delhi Police alleging an their job and to hold authorities to EURO 87.79 `0.19

CURRENCY the issue of farmers’ protests and passed “reformist legislation” for overseas "conspiracy" and an attempt to account without fear of arrest or vi- "promote enmity between groups". The teen GOLD `47,157 `593 press freedom in India after an on- the agricultural sector, which “a olence.” line petition attracted over 110,000 very small section of farmers” have climate campaigner, unfazed, tweeted that she “Free press plays a crucial role SILVER `67,002 `1563 signatures. some reservations about and there- "still" stood with farmers and "no amount of in our democracies and the gov- BULLION While the name of Boris Johnson fore the laws have been kept on threats" would change that. Greta Thunberg's ernment is putting their full weight appears in his capacity as a west hold while talks are held. tweets in support of the protests near Delhi behind this, including through our London Conservative Party Member Emphasising that the protests against farm laws are among many posts that have drawn international membership of the Media Freedom attention over the past two days to the farmers' agitation that began WEATHER of Parliament, Downing Street had data also gives the name of the con- must be seen in the context of India's Coalition,” the spokesperson said.

y late-November. The Cyber Cell of the Delhi Police is investigating these categorically denied that the UK stituency MP, the data does not BHUB CTK democratic ethos and polity, the tweets but the subject of the FIR refers to Greta Thunberg's controversial The petition on the official

Prime Minister had signed the pe- show whether individual MPs have MEA in its statement said some Parliament petitions website, en-

k y m tweet on a "toolkit" to support the farmers' protests. c MAX 31.4° 31.4° tition. signed it. vested interest groups have tried to titled ‘Urge the Indian Government The House of Commons further India has called the remarks by mobilise international support understanding of the issues at hand others, is neither accurate nor re- to ensure safety of protesters & TEMP MIN 14.7° 13.4° Forecast clarified Thursday that while it is foreign leaders and organisations against the country. should be undertaken. The temp- sponsible,” the MEA statement said press freedom’, calls on the British Humidity 90% 79% Fog or mist possible to view signatures on its pe- on protests by farmers as 'ill-in- “Before rushing to comment on tation of sensationalist social media following some high-profile celebri- government to make a public state- in the Rainfall Nil Nil morning titions website by individual par- formed' and 'unwarranted', assert- such matters, we would urge that the hashtags and comments, especially ties tweeting over the agitation by ment on the “#kissanprotests & liamentary constituencies, and the ing that the matter pertains to the facts be ascertained, and a proper when resorted to by celebrities and farmers. press freedoms”. P2 TARAJI ‘EMBARRASSED’ BY SUICIDAL LeCROY DENIES AFFAIR WITH FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 5 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR THOUGHTS DURING COVID PANDEMIC JLO’S FIANCE RODRIGUEZ Actress Taraji P Henson says she feels Actor Madison LeCroy has finally opened up embarrassed when she recalls feeling suicidal on rumours around her affair with Jennifer during the coronavirus pandemic last year. Henson Lopez’s boyfriend Alex Rodriguez. Madison said that she found herself in a ‘dark place’. The says she did speak to Alex a couple of times y leisure actress discussed her worries with a friend and her on call but they have “never been physical”

suicidal thoughts quickly subsided. according to Page Six.

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FORTUNE FORECAST 78TH GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS Adah to play

ARIES Ganesha predicts suc- The Crown, Mank lead nominations bipolar character cess if you're involved with the media. Here's BLACK PANTHER shift of Hollywood from traditional a golden chance to studios and cable networks to the showcase your talent, as all eyes are ACTOR CHADWICK streaming space. Global streaming on you. Your skills and talent will be in ‘Chuha Billi’ acknowledged, and short-term goals BOSEMAN HAS giant Netflix is dominating the pack will see fulfillment. with a staggering 42 nominations Mumbai: Adah Sharma will people to watch the film with BEEN NOMINATED across film and television cate- next be seen in a film titled all the love coming in for just the gories, which includes nods for The Chuha Billi, a dark subject that teaser and the poster,” Adah TAURUS POSTHUMOUSLY IN Trial Of The Chicago 7, The Queen's casts her as a girl who is bipo- said. You are likely to succeed THE BEST ACTOR Gambit and The Crown. lar and depressed. IANS in everything you start Amazon Studios also has 10 nom- “Chuha Billi is a dark sub- today, predicts Ganesha. CATEGORY FOR HIS inations, including nods for Borat ject. I play a girl who Financial transactions LAST FILM Subsequent Moviefilm and its Small is bipolar. She is de- will be both satisfying and profitable in the Axe anthology series. Hulu gets 10 pressed and she isn’t afternoon. The day may not turn out to be as exciting as you may have expected. A BLACK BOTTOM nods as well, which included nom- coping with it well. thrilling evening will compensate for a inations for Palm Springs and Ramy. I would like to be- rather tiring day, expects Ganesha. Los Angeles: The Herman Mank, a black-and-white ode to lieve I’m exactly the op- Mankiewicz biopic Mank and the old Hollywood, which was released posite of this character, royal drama The Crown lead nom- by Netflix, got six nominations, and that’s what attracted GEMINI inations at the 78th Golden Globe male directors being The nominees for the which includes nods for Best Drama, me the most to playing Awards, with both receiving six nominated -- Chloe upcoming edition as well as for director David Fincher her. We did a lot of work- A day filled with love, ten- derness and delight — the nods apiece. The award ceremony Zhao (Nomadland), were announced by and for Gary Oldman’s perform- shops for the film, too,” kind of day when babies will be held virtually February 28 Regina King (One Sarah Jessica Parker ance as Citizen Kane screenwriter Adah said. are born, families reunite, and good news in two cities, New York and Los Night In Miami) and and Taraji P Henson Herman J. Mankiewicz. She added that the film’s never stops pouring in. However, the after- Angeles. Emerald Fennell Wednesday, in which The Crown, which leads the tel- director Prasad Kadam noon may be a little rough on a day, which Among highlights is late star (Promising Young it was revealed that evision category with six nomina- wanted her to show her will be, otherwise, high on happiness. Chadwick Boseman’s nomination Woman) are in the race Sacha Baron Cohen, tions, got mentions in Best TV switching ‘poles in just sec- in the Best Actor category. Boseman, to pick the top award. Anya Taylor-Joy and drama, as well as for the perform- onds’. who shot to global fame playing In the overall count, Olivia Colman are leading ances of several of its cast members. “She’s very excited about CANCER Black Panther, has been nominated Aaron Sorkin’s film The Trial Of the actor and actress nominations, Olivia Colman who plays the something and very sad in For Crabs, this day posthumously for his role in Ma The Chicago 7 and the comedy se- with all of them receiving two nods monarch, and Emma Corrin, who just seconds. He also brings good tidings for Rainey’s Black Bottom, his final film. ries Schitt’s Creek follow The Crown each, reports variety.com. essays the role of Princess Diana, wanted the changeover job, business as well as Another highlight this year, on love life. The home is and Mank, with five nominations Another thing that the nomina- picked up nominations. being subtle so mostly it where your heart is. Today, you'll get to the film front, is a record three fe- each. tions highlighted was the gradual IANS all lies in the eyes. spend quality time at your most pre- I can’t wait for ferred place with your beloved. Just ensure that you remain loyal to your loved ones. Mumbai: Action star and fitness enthusiast Tiger Akshay, Saina trolled Tiger shares Shroff Thursday shared LEO that flying kicks, some- You may blame the thing that he aces, look weather, but it still his flying easy on video games than doesn't change the fact over identical tweets that today, you shall be in real life. more or less in the doldrums, with little kick woes In an Instagram video prospect of feeling strong and spirited, clip, Tiger is seen running Mumbai: Action star Akshay Kumar The similarity between the tweets of says Ganesha. This, coupled with other and then performing a mid-air and badminton ace Saina Nehwal came Akshay and Saina was not missed by ne- things, may lead to confrontation and flip, before kicking his partner to the under the scanner Thursday for posting tizens, who minced no words while point- quarrels with peers on the work front. ground. “Why are some of these moves so much easier identical tweets about the ongoing farm- ing it out on social media. Soon, to do in video games,” he wrote as the caption. Tiger’s ers protest. They are being slammed for #SpinelessCelebs was trending on Twitter. stunt stunned everyone, including the copy-paste job, #SpinelessCelebs “Disappointed with the fraternity tweet- VIRGO his sister Krishna Shroff, who com- trended on Twitter. ing identical tweets that make it more like A candid conversation mented: “BRUH, what???” From Ekta Kapoor, Karan Johar, Ajay a marketing gimmick,” with your beloved is Krishna's beau Eban Hyams Devgn to Sachin Tendulkar, global per- tweeted Farah Khan Ali. on the radar today. Labour to complete said: “Dang”. Singer Shaan wrote: sonalities took to Twitter Wednesday to User Kirti Azad tasks you've been putting off for a while, “is this real ..or a video game ?!?” urge people not to fall for false propa- wrote: “Nakal mein bhi says Ganesha. A trip to a sacred place is Singer Armaan Malik posted: ganda against India. But it was Akshay akal chahiye also blinking. But be advised, and weigh “im gonna be hiding the next time and Saina’s posts that have created a buzz #SpinelessCelebs”. your options before making a choice. we jam.” Tiger’s mother as these were word for word similar. IANS Ayesha Shroff simply said: Their tweets came after inter- “Wowwwwwwwzaaaaa!!!!” national personalities such LIBRA The Heropanti actor re- as Rihanna, Mia Khalifa Call it your charm, your cently joined hands with and Greta Thunberg influence or whatever tennis icon Mahesh tweeted in favour of you will, but today, it Bhupati to expand his ac- the farmers’ protest brings incredible results tive wear brand into var- in India. Soon, the for you, says Ganesha. Also, you may personally contemplate a little bit of self- ious domains including Indian celebrities were improvement for ensuring better fitness equipment and reacting to a statement prospects in the future. It is likely that health food. by the Ministry of some of you may decide to smarten up IANS External Affairs (MEA) about the issue. SCORPIO Endless ambitions and limitless energy – a day SUDOKU tailored to perfection, post To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, forecasts Ganesha. On the PEANUTS career front, you will be looking for some CROSSWORD column and box must contain the numbers challenging activities. You will have more 0 to 9 and the letters A to E. than enough vigour to tackle anything that work or academics can throw at you.

SAGITTARIUS The artist in you will shine today, and how, says Ganesha. You'll be content with your pos- sessions, which have been preserved over long years. Later in the day, your focus may shift to renovating or decorating your home by adding artifacts and furniture.

CAPRICORN There is a creative side CALVIN AND HOBBES to your personality which will come to the fore now. With your unusual wit and intelligence you will guide others on their paths. Many will come to you for guidance and you will able to spread a harmonious environ- SOLUTIONS ment around. You don't look down upon people because of their problems which will earn you great respect in the society.

AQUARIUS Today, you decide not to mix business with pleas- ure. A wise decision, says Ganesha. Your com- mitment to work increases and you don't want to harm your prospects. BREVITY

However, you reserve the evening only CROSSWORD for your loved ones, who are more than happy to have you with them. A fine bal- ance, says Ganesha.

PISCES y

The feelings of resent-

k y m ment that you have been c harbouring since some time will not allow you to take any criticism that comes your way in the right spirit. This does none harm, but you. Learn to let go of your negative thoughts and indulge in some harmless fun CHECK FOR SOLUTIONS OF THE PUZZLES TOMORROW SUDOKU and frolic today, says Ganesha. COVID-19 TRACKER P3 AWARENESS DRIVE FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 5 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR INFECTED RECOVERED DEAD A street play underway World 10,50,81,190 7,68,10,847 22,82,985 at AG Square in Bhubaneswar, Thursday, India 1,07,91,123 1,04,79,508 1,54,742 to create awareness on downtown Odisha 3,35,369 3,32,611 1,907

road safety norms

k y m c BJD, Cong slam rly allocation CRAFTS FAIR CONCLUDES

POST NEWS NETWORK Rajya Sabha MP Amar Patnaik also expressed dismay over the alloca- New Delhi, Feb 4: Criticising the tion of funds to Odisha. Patnaik Union government for its step moth- said that this year’s allocation to erly attitude towards Odisha, Odisha is very less and the Union Congress MP from Koraput government has not sanctioned Saptagiri Ulaka Thursday expressed fund for any new project. disappointment over the alloca- “Allocation of fund is actually tion of funds to Odisha in the rail- reduced. What is shown in capital way budget. budget as approximately `4500 crore Ulaka said that the Union gov- included `500 crore of state for ernment has allocated peanuts Khurda-Bolangir and the out of to the state in the name of railway `40 lakh sanctioned for new South than the state’s demand. budget funding of Angul-Sukinda budget. Coast Railway Zone and new “We had demanded `7,200 crore and Haridaspur-Paradip SPV lines,” Ulaka also said that he had dis- Rayagada Division in East Coast but the budgetary allocation is the Biju Janata Dal MP said. cussed Gunupur-Therubali rail line Railway as a cruel joke with the only `4,500 crore, which includes Meanwhile, Union Petroleum project recently with Union Railway state. He urged the government to `500 crore for the Khurda-Bolangir and Natural Gas Minister Minister Piyush Goyal and was as- revise the allocation as the project railway project. There is no men- Dharmendra Pradhan said that sured by the minister that he would is pending for a long time. tion of newline or new project in Odisha has received highest allo- clarify with the state government Expressing disappointing over the budget,” Behera said here cation of fund under Railway on cost sharing and approve the the allocation to Odisha in the Thursday. budget from the Union govern- project. Ulaka questioned the Union Railway Budget 2021-22, State The state government had pro- ment. He said the Railway min- government’s allocation for the Transport Minister Padmanabha posed for some new projects, but not istry has allocated around `7000 Gunupur-Therubali rail line. Behera said the state will get only a single has been taken up, he said. crore to Odisha for the strength- The Congress MP also termed `4,500 crore which is much less Significantly, Biju Janta Dal (BJD) ening of the rail network in the state. The minister said that the The We demanded Railway ministry has Narendra Modi government has made highest allocation to the state Modi `7,200 crore allocated around `7000 since independence. government but the crore to Odisha for the Odisha Pradesh Congress has failed to budgetary strengthening of the rail Committee (OPCC) President live up to the allocation is network in the state. Niranjan Patnaik said, “The Modi expectations only `4,500 The Narendra Modi government has failed to live up of the state. The state crore. There is no mention government has made to the expectations of the state. The was ignored by the of newline or new project highest allocation since state was again ignored by the Centre yet again in the Budget independence Centre. As per the requirements NIRANJAN PATNAIK I PADMANABHA BEHERA I STATE DHARMENDRA PRADHAN I UNION MINISTER, of the state and keeping in the mind PRESIDENT, OPCC TRANSPORT MINISTER PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS the revenues of the state, adequate steps were not taken.”

Koraput collector PIPLI BY-ELECTION 7-year RI for transferred 7 convicts in POST NEWS NETWORK Major parties discuss chit fund case Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: In the back- drop of fresh row over the dis- POST NEWS NETWORK puted Kotia village, the state gov- potential candidates ernment has transferred Koraput Cuttack, Feb 4: The Odisha Orissa High Court Chief Justice S Muralidhar, Commissioner-cum-Secretary to Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts collector Madhusudan Mishra. POST NEWS NETWORK has started garnering views from Protection of Interests of department, Shubha Sarma and other dignitaries visit stalls on the concluding day of Toshali National Crafts Project director of Cuttack dis- the ground level workers and the Depositors (OPID) court here Fair-2021 at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar, Thursday. (Bottom) Girls playing with bubbles at the fair OP PHOTOS trict rural development agency Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: Major po- same would be communicated to the Thursday awarded seven years of (DRDA) Abdaal Akhtar has been litical parties in the state are now top leaders here and at the Centre. rigorous imprisonment (RI) be- posted as new collector of the working towards finding their best “We are now in the process of get- sides imposing a fine on seven tribal dominated district. Mishra candidates for the upcoming Pipili ting inputs from our people on the persons on charges of defraud- has been transferred as additional by-elections with the initial for- ground and also trying to mobi- ing many gullible depositors on the Restrictions on Magha Saptami dip secretary in Forest and malities for the poll preparations lize support. Based on the ground promise of hefty returns, official Environment department. beginning in the state. inputs, we will communicate it to sources said. The sudden move of govern- The court’s ruling came while POST NEWS NETWORK ment came in the wake of Andhra hearing two cases of fraud by Pradesh government reportedly Many BJD party men are Siddha Mahapurusa Money Konark, Feb 4: The annual holy dip changing the names of three vil- rallying behind the kin of Society, a firm is accused of dup- rituals at Chandrabhaga beach ob- lages on the inter-state border ing several investors to a tune of served on the occasion of Magha area and notification issued to deceased MLA Pradeep `8 crore on the promise of huge re- Saptami, the seventh day of the conduct panchayat election there. Maharathy. However, the turns. waxing phase of the Odia month of Andhra government has changed final call lies with party In the first case, the court Magha, will be held with limited names of Tala Ganjeipadar, Patu awarded seven years of RI to four devotees this year. Sineri and Fagun Sineri in the supremo Naveen Patnaik persons in connection with Nikirai The Puri district administration disputed Kotia region. police station case (73/2016) under and the Konark NAC Thursday or- Even though the border dispute Section 420 of the Indian Penal ganised a preparatory meeting for deities. Verma put emphasis on all early in the morning. The devo- in Kotia region is sub-judice in The Congress party has started the Central Parliamentary Code, 6 of the Odisha Protection the annual ritual. Puri Collector precautionary measures at the venue tees then take holy dip at the beach the Supreme Court, the Koraput discussing the same while some Committee which will take a final of Interests of Depositors Act, 4/5 Samarth Verma presided over the to keep novel coronavirus at bay. before sunrise and offer their obei- district administration was re- ground visits were also said to be call on the same,” Lekhashri told Prize Chits and Money Circulation meeting. “Section 144 would be clamped at sance to the Sun God. portedly unaware of the latest scheduled for the Odisha Pradesh Orissa POST. Schemes (Banning) Act. Participating in the preparatory the fair ground to check unneces- “All issues with regard to the rit- move of Andhra government. Congress Committee (OPCC) The BJD has also started their se- The court imposed also a fine of meeting, Sports and Youth Services sary congregation. The annual rit- uals, drinking water supply, sani- To protect people from the lure President Niranjan Patnaik. ries of meetings. Party Observer for `5 lakh on the accused, according minister Tusharkanti Behera said, ual would be conducted as per the tation, power supply, health service, of Andhra Pradesh, the state gov- “We have held some meetings Pipili Pratap Keshari Deb this week to a tweet of the DGP. “The ritual would be organised religious tradition,” said Puri Sub- security arrangement and fire safety ernment had announced a pack- in this regard. No ground work held a meeting with the Block pres- In the second case, the OPID with strict adherence to the Covid- Collector Bhabataran Sahu. measures were discussed at the age for the development of Kotia has been done yet. I will be visiting idents of Delang and Pipili and dis- court convicted three persons in 19 norms of the Centre and state gov- As per the tradition, the presid- meeting,” said an official of the area. Another revised package the area Thursday and discuss can- cussed the roadmap for the polls. connection with a case (12/2017) ernment. Officials of the district ad- ing deities of Konark, Lord district administration. may be announced soon. didature related issues. We have A good chunk of the leaders in registered with the Nikirai police ministration and all other stake Tribeniswara, Lord Aisaneswara Among others, Puri Additional been garnering inputs from our the regional party have now started in Kendrapara district under holders will work in unison for and Lord Dakhineswara embark Collector Binay Kumar Dash, party men. I should not comment gathering support for the family Sections 6 of the Odisha Protection smooth conduct of the holy dip.” on a grand procession to the Tirtha Kakatpur BDO Sudhir Kumar on the issue of giving the tickets to members of deceased MLA Pradeep of Interests of Depositors Act, 4/5 As per the information provided Mandap at Chandrabhaga during Nayak, Gop BDO Diptirani Das, dis- PURI HARASSMENT Maharathy’s kin,” he said. Maharathy, however they on record Prize Chits and Money Circulation by Behera, only 500 people will be al- the auspicious occasion. trict Information and Public Relation BJP has also started the process. claim that the final decision would Schemes (Banning) Act. lowed to participate during the pro- The deities then march to the officer Jitendriya Jena and Konark Party spokesperson Lekhashri be taken by the Chief Minister The court awarded 7 years of RI cession and that many devotees can NAC Bhoga Mandap and later they NAC executive officer M Srinivas Helpline number Samantsinghar said that the party Naveen Patnaik. and 10 lakhs fine, the DGP added. take part in the holy dip with the are taken for their customary bath were present at the meeting. launched POST NEWS NETWORK INTACH decries violations in Ekamra Kshetra project Puri, Feb 4: A few days after a tourist couple from West Bengal POST NEWS NETWORK was allegedly assaulted inside a pri- HERITAGE vate bus in Puri, the police today Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: The discov- launched a helpline number to ery of the remains of a temple and DAMAGED ensure safety of tourists visiting other structures near the Suka-Sari the pilgrim town. temple complex, close to Lingaraj llegations have been levelled against the Odisha The tourists can dial Helpline Temple in Bhubaneswar has not A government citing violation of number- 63709 67100, which will be only created a buzz but also caught several guidelines of AMSAR Act available round the clock as a the attention of the Archaeological single-window contact number, Survey of India (ASI). he ancient artefacts that to lodge any grievance. The num- Allegations have been levelled Twere damaged in the ber will be displayed inside all against the Odisha government cit- process include lattice work, tourist buses. ing violation of several guidelines decorative scroll works and A meeting of all private tourist on the pretext of carrying out the carved stone pieces bus associations was held under much-hyped Ekamra Kshetra de- the chairmanship of Puri SP velopment project. Ramahari Jena, Prafulla Swain and Kanwar Vishal Singh today for The controversy over the de- Debasish Mohapatro did a prelim- discussion on various related is- struction of ancient monuments inary site survey at ground level and sues. It was decided that sensiti- around the 11th century Lingaraj sent a report to the centre. zation and behavioral change ses- Temple in Odisha’s capital According to state convenor of sions of all bus drivers and helpers Bhubaneshwar amid a State-spon- INTACH Amiya Bhusan Tripathy, will be held frequently. sored redevelopment drive, spi- there was no guideline formed or any Broken fragments of the unearthed shrine A temple plinth unearthed recently Office bearers of the associa- ralled with the Indian National suggestions taken from ASI or IN- tions assured the district police Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage TACH before demolition of the her- specting Hindu. Imagine this being The ancient artefacts that were cient treatises like Ekamra Purana, ft temple present inside the Shiva of their full cooperation to ensure (INTACH) stating that irreparable itage site. Use of heavy machinery done for any icon, idol or religious damaged in the process include lat- Ekamra Chandrika etc. Moreover the Tirtha Matha, everything has been

best user experience to all tourists damage had been done to the tem- in such a sensitive spot is uncalled place of any other faith. I had writ- tice work, decorative scroll works, present ground level is much higher razed and the stone blocks used to

k y m c coming to Puri, a world class tourist ple and ancient shrines around it. for and is a straight violation of the ten to the Govt for last 7 months to carved stone pieces, Gajavidalas, than the earlier ground level so it is fill the plinths of the surrounding. destination and the land of Lord An INTACH team comprising AMSAR Act 1958, he said. have a ground-penetrating radar Nayikas, Salabhanjikas, Chaitya evident that many heritage resources The surviving temple is perched Jagannath. It is pertinent to men- AB Tripathy, Sanjib Hota, Anil Dhir, Anil Dhir said, “It’s a clear cul- (GPR) done at the site before exca- medallions and many more. Suka must be present underneath. high on an earthen mound, and is tion here that a tourist couple from Biswajit Mohanty, Ileana Citarasti, tural genocide. What are the Sevayats vation. This is a normal procedure Sari temple precinct is one of the im- Demolition of the 700 years old prone to collapse. Moreover it is West Bengal was allegedly beaten Debabrat Panigrahi, Binode Dash, and the Pandas of the Lingaraj tem- which lets researchers explore large- portant locations in Ekamra Kshetra. Shiva Tirtha Matha was also as- clear violation of the AMASR Act up by staff of a private bus. Deepak Nayak, Satyam Jyoti, ple doing? A shame on every self re- scale archaeological sites.” It is also mentioned in various an- sessed. Except for a small 15ft by 15 1958, amended in 2010. P4 FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 5 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR downtown

ILS conducts 1.5 lakh Covid-19 tests IN MEMORIAM

k y m c POST NEWS NETWORK cases from the analyzed samples. With the developed infrastructure State reports one fresh fatality Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: The Institute and trained human resources, ILS of Life Sciences (ILS) here reached could play a major role in infectious Odisha’s coronavirus caseload mounted to 3,35,369 a cumulative figure of conducting diseases surveillance, management 1.50 lakhs tests for novel coron- and research in future, said Parida. Thursday as 87 more people tested positive for the infection avirus February 2. All these tests Apart from testing efforts, ILS were conducted using RT-PCR with scientists have also contributed to BHUBANESWAR: State’s Covid-19 Of the 1,907 Covid-19 deaths, Khurda the samples provided by the Health Covid–19 research and development. caseload mounted to 3,35,369 district accounted for 335, followed Department from 26 districts. ILS has sequenced nearly 300 virus Thursday as 87 more people tested by Ganjam (248), Sundargarh (173), positive for the infection, while one Cuttack (141) and Puri (117). part from testing fresh fatality pushed the death toll Fifty-three other coronavirus Aefforts, ILS scientists to 1,907, a senior Health and Family patients have died due to comor- have also contributed to Welfare (H&FW) department offi- bidities, the official said. Odisha Covid–19 research and cial said. now has 910 active cases, and development Of the fresh cases, 51 were re- 3,32,499 patients have so far re- ported from quarantine centres covered from the disease. he premier institute and 36 were detected during contact The state has conducted over Thas sequenced nearly tracing. Sundargarh recorded the 77.96 lakh sample tests, including 300 virus genomes and highest number of new cases at 26, 21,742 Wednesday, and the positiv- developed 17 virus followed by Mayurbhanj at 9 and cultures ity rate now stands at 4.3 per cent. Khurda at 7, the official said. According to the official, the state Regret to inform the demise of has vaccinated 2,13,346 health work- ILS started the testing April 14 last genomes and developed 17 virus 68-year-old Covid positive patient ers till February 3. year and significantly contributed cultures. It has established a bio of Kalahandi district who was The health department said that to the augmentation of the testing repository for clinical samples for also suffering from hypertension, 1,92,437 frontline workers had been efforts in the state. ILS Director assisting research communities for the health department said on registered for receiving COVID vac- Ajay Parida complemented all the developing drugs and vaccines. An Twitter. cines in the second phase of the faculties, staff and students of the advanced transnational platform The state had reported the last inoculation drive scheduled to begin institution for their tireless effort for animal challenge studies is being coronavirus fatality January 25. February 6. in achieving this target. established for testing vaccine can- He also thanked the Union didates as well as potential drug Department of Biotechnology as formulations, Parida added. ing virus cultures of strains as a part vaccine, Covaxin, recently. well as the Odisha government and The city-based ILS has been iden- of the Genomic Surveillance pro- “Everybody has been found nor- the district authorities for support, tified as one of the 10 institutions gram of the Union Government. mal after vaccination. ILS direc- encouragement and help. ILS has so in the country to carry out whole The scientists and staffers of ILS tor Ajay parida took the first jab,” Dignitaries including Governor Ganeshi Lal pay floral tributes to Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das on his death far reported nearly 7,500 positive genome sequencing and establish- have taken the first dose of Covid said an official of the institution. anniversary near Raj Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, Thursday OP PHOTO FOCUS ON Guidelines for 2nd phase PG spot admission out Scooter used to carry Jharapula recovered CANCER CARE POST NEWS NETWORK Meanwhile, Rakesh is likely to POST NEWS NETWORK There will be no slide up option thorised to fill up the vacancies out After the closure of reporting be produced before the court in POST NEWS NETWORK for spot selection. of the candidates who date and time, universities and Bhubaneswar/Rasulpur, Feb 4: In Jajpur Friday as his three-day re- Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: Higher The document ver- had reported during the colleges will prepare a selection a significant development, the Jajpur mand ended Thursday. Bhubaneswar, Feb. 4: SUM Education department Thursday is- ification, payment and reporting periods and list against the vacancies and pub- police have recovered the scooter Notably, a team of Jajpur police Ultimate Medicare here observed sued guidelines and timeline for PG admission of the can- the admission process lish it in their notice board as used by acused Rakesh Swain and Wednesday took the accused to a World Cancer Day, Thursday. Spot admission-II in universities didate from selection may continue till well as in their respective web- his associate to carry the body of guesthouse at Dharma Vihar area Addressing the meeting, Biraj and colleges for the session 2020-21. list will be done February 20, 2021. sites. If the candidate is selected Jharaphula Nayak, the student of in Bhubaneswar where he had Mohan Mishra, chief of the hos- As per the timeline the merit list February 11. The data For the candidates in more than one institution, then Rama Devi University here. The stayed with Jharaphula January 26. pital medical services said, will be published February 6, 2021 updation of admitted students in who will take admission, maxi- they will have to finalise only one scooter has been recovered from According to sources, the police “Around one million new can- and candidates from the merit list Student Academic Management mum of 5 days will be given to them of them and other option will be Sundarapada area under Airfield team recreated the crime scene at cer cases are being detected in the will have to report to the universi- System (SAMS) portal will be up- to submit University Leaving blocked. police limits in the Capital city. the guesthouse’s room to get a clear country while 2.5 to 3 million ties and colleges February 8 ad 9. dated February 12. Certificate (ULC)/ College Leaving Earlier, the Odisha government had The two-wheeler is reportedly picture on the sequence of events people afflicted with the disease After that the selection list of the can- As per the guidelines, if some Certificate (CLC) from their ear- issued guidelines and schedule for registered in the name of Rakesh. on the fateful day. are under various stages of treat- didates will be released February 10. vacancies still persist after the date lier universities/colleges. They will the post graduate (PG) spot admis- Rakesh and his friend took the Jajpur police also recovered ment. Therefore Comprehensive The selection will be based on of admission (February 11), then the be asked to submit undertaking sions in various universities and body of Jharaphula by the scooter the dress that Rakesh wore on the Cancer Care is the need of the merit (Career mark + CPET mark). universities and colleges are au- and allowed to take admission. colleges across the State January 7. to Jajpur where they dumped it. fateful day. hour and as the number is on the rise, there is an urgent need for spreading awareness to tackle the menace.” NCC CAMP ON NATIONAL OSAP personnel on Interacting with Orissa POST, temple duty dies Chief Secy launches MPL 2.0 Dr Saurjya Ranjan Das of SUM INTEGRATION CONCLUDES hospital said, “This year, the POST NEWS NETWORK theme is ‘I Am and I Will’ which UNITED NEWS OF INDIA is a multi-year campaign mainly POST NEWS NETWORK Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: To aug- focused on the community as a Puri, Feb 4: A personnel of Odisha ment revenue collection in the whole and the steps that each Cuttack, Feb 4: ‘Ek Bharat State Armed Police (OSAP) on urban local bodies (ULBs), Chief individual should take to reduce Shreshtha Bharat’, the webinar duty at Srimandir here died Secretary Suresh Chandra the global impact of cancer. hosted by NCC Group Cuttack Thursday, an official said. Mahapatra Thursday launched Every person has the responsi- under the aegis of NCC Directorate Sources said that Chittaranjan the second edition of Municipal bility to create awareness in Odisha here, culminated Thursday. Naik of Mayurbhanj district, who Premier League, (MPL 2.0). their family, community, and As many as 200 NCC cadets from was on duty at Ghantidwar in the The first season of the Municipal cities. It’s a combined effect of the Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir and 12th century Premier League was launched in enduring power of cooperation Ladakh participated in the webinar shrine, sud- only nine Atal Mission for and collective action should come that kick-started January 28. denly fell down Rejuvenation and Urban together with an agenda to During the closing ceremony, sions and interactions to showcase and became Transformation (AMRUT) towns achieve a healthier and brighter Colonel Rajinish Kapoor, Group the history, geography, tourism, unconscious. in 2019-20 and it has improved the world free of cancer. It also aims Commander, NCC Group Cuttack, cuisines and cultural heritage of He was ini- collections of the ULBs by 37 per to reduce misconceptions about thanked the participants for putting Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir and tially rushed cent as compared with 2018-19. cancer and to help people. up excellent performance, making Ladakh. to the district headquarters hos- Now, all 114 ULBs are included Moreover it’s all about the right the online camp a memorable event The camp aimed at fostering the pital and later to SCB Medical under MPL 2.0 where digital col- Chief Secretary SC Mahapatra (inset) interacts through videoconferencing information to fight for cadets. Commodore Somen spirit of national integration and College and Hospital in Cuttack lections through MPoS (Mobile the disease.” Bannerjee, Dy DG, Odisha solidarity by overcoming cultural, where his health further deterio- Point of Sale) machines will be awarded after the conclusion of motivate tax collecting officials, Brig. (Dr.) Mishra also felici- Directorate, had opened the webi- religious, geographical, environ- rated, they said, adding that he made through 900 plus tax officials the league. recognize their contributions tated several cancer survivors on nar January 28. mental and linguistic barriers died during treatment. He had along with Mission Shakti Self- MPL is the first-of-its-kind com- through exciting contest format the occasion in the program in Based on the theme of anti-cor- which was evident in the enthusi- joined OSAP 3rd Battalion sta- Help Groups (SHGs). Based on the petition for tax officials initiated modeled on the IPL and in turn to the presence of senior doctors ruption, the camp was conducted astic participation of the cadets tioned at Koraput and was on dep- performance of the tax offi- by the state government. The main improve the internal revenue gen- and officials. by way of presentations, discus- from these states, said a source. utation to Puri for temple duty. cials/Mission Shakti SHGs will be objective of conducting MPL is to eration of the ULBs across the state.

SPREADING AWARENESS ADMISSION QUOTA FOR EWS Parents’ body meets S&ME minister POST NEWS NETWORK IN NUGGETS Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: A delega- tion of Odisha Parents’ Federation THE PARENTS ALSO DISCUSSED VARIOUS met School and Mass Education ISSUES PERTAINING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COURT ORDER (S&ME) Minister Samir Ranjan AND GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION ON FEE Dash Thursday and held discus- WAIVER WITH THE MINISTER sions regarding the implementation of 25 per cent reservation in online THE MINISTER ASSURED THE DELEGATION OF admission for economically weaker PROPER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE section (EWS) and disadvantaged DIRECTION ON FEE WAIVER group (DG) under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The parents also discussed var- line portal for admission of 25 per added. The parents also demanded English medium schools to imple- ious issues pertaining to the im- cent students coming under the recruitment of computer teachers ment the order and upload the list plementation of the court order EWS and DG categories before the for computer education in schools. books as per the NCERT syllabi. and government notification on fee new academic year 2021-22. The In the wake of the hunger strike According to sources, Khurda waiver with the minister. The min- date for the portal launch would by the parents’ body January 28 district Collector has directed the ister assured the delegation of be decided soon, the minister said. seeking implementation of the OHRC district education officer (DEO) to proper implementation of the di- The delegation also demanded as well as the S&ME department’s serve notice on all private English rection on fee waiver, sources said. similar calendars for all the boards- orders regarding the uploading of list medium schools to comply with The S&ME minister told the del- BSE, CBSE and ICSE. To which, of books in the school website, the the orders of Odisha Human Rights egation that the government will the minister agreed to call a meet- district education officers (DEOs) Commission (OHRC) as well as the

Puri CDMO Sujata Mishra flags off an awareness vehicle on cancer on the occasion of World Cancer Day, Thursday OP PHOTO soon launch the RTE Paradarshi on- ing and look into the matter, sources wrote to the principals of private S&ME department.

k y m c P5 FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 5 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR state

Subarnarekha port project hangs fire Scams mar Swachh

k y m c LAND ACQUISITION HAS GOT DELAYED WHILE LOCAL RESISTANCE IN SIX PANCHAYATS CREATES HURDLE Bharat Mission POST NEWS NETWORK POST NEWS NETWORK Balasore February 13, 2019, claimed The state government had announced setting up of the the port project will create scope of port about 14 years ago. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had Nabarangpur, Feb 4: The Centre Bhograi, Feb 4: A delay in land ac- employment for 12,000 people with laid foundation stone for its work in 2019, but its work has has been pushing sanitation quisition and opposition from lo- development of roads, railway con- not taken off as yet through Swachh Bharat Mission, cals has resulted in procrastination nectivity in the region. The port project entails On the other hand, just 10 but the object of the scheme has of the ambitious river-based In view of the port project, the an estimated cost of Rs nautical miles from the port been defeated in many cases due Subarnarekha port project in central government had announced 5,000 crore at Kirtania. project, West Bengal Chief to alleged irregularities in Balasore, a report said. a mega project with an investment However, its location Minister Mamata Banerjee has Nabarangpur, a report said. According to the report, the state of Rs 75,000 crore. However, over was changed later. The announced a sea-based port at According to the report, ac- government had announced setting 60,000 people living in six coastal state government signed Ramnagar in East Midnapore tion has been taken against some up of the port about 14 years ago. panchayats have opposed the port an agreement with the district. She assured that the officials in certain cases after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had project and the central project. Chennai-based Creative people in the area would not be investigation while many offi- laid foundation stone for its work Locals united under the Bhitamati Port Development affected by displacement while cials at other places under in 2019, but its work has not taken off Surakhya Committee expressed fears Representative photo Limited to set up this 15,000 people will be provided Jharigaon block have not been as yet. Addressing a public rally in that the project would displace peo- port at Choumukhi with a scope of engagement covered under investigation. Bhograi in December 2006, the Chief ple on large areas while their age-old As per official guidelines gov- Minister had announced the port livelihood hinged on paddy, fishing, Subarnarekha project has been hang- district. Union Minister Pratap Surlhya Committee Arun Jena ob- erning the Swachh Bharat project at an estimated cost of Rs 5,000 betel and betel nut farming. On the ing fire while some opposition lead- Chandra Sarangi said due to delay served that the government wanted Mission, the final list of the ben- of 1980 toilets. They claimed that crore at Kirtania. other hand, just 10 nautical miles ers and environmentalist have sup- in land acquisition, the project is get- to snatch the livelihood of lakhs of eficiaries will be decided by the 405 beneficiaries have filed com- However, just two days after this from the port project, West Bengal ported the project opponents. ting delayed. “I have written in this people by displacing them in the executive engineer of the RWSS. plaints at Jharigaon police sta- announcement, its location was Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Another problem is that some out- regard to the state and central gov- name of development. “The proj- It must be approved by the tion in this regard. changed. The state government has announced a sea-based port at fits have been batting for the port to ernment. I have also demanded com- ect will protect interests of capi- Collector. The names of the ben- Meanwhile, BDO Debendra signed an agreement with the Ramnagar in East Midnapore district. be set up at Kirtania or at Bichitrapur. pensation for those who will be dis- talists. We will put up fight and will eficiaries as per a village level sur- Bahadur Singh Dharua nd JE Chennai-based Creative Port She assured that the people in the area District planning board chief and placed by the project,” Sarangi not spare our land,” he resolved. vey will be displayed at the pan- Sunil Samal have been suspended. Development Limited to set up this would not be affected by displacement Bhograi MLA Ananta Das said the added. The project was reviewed at a chayat offices. The beneficiary As per the Collector’s letter- port at Choumukhi. while 15,000 people will be provided state government will decide on the Congress leader Sadashiba Das high-level meeting here a few months himself/herself can do the toilet 3168/2018 dated December 2018, In 2018, Tata Steel proposed to with a scope of engagement. Reliable port project. Former MP Rabindra said, ”The project has failed owing ago. The project requires 692 acres; construction. In cases of any the DRDA’s PD had been asked to pump in about 51 per cent of the sources said the port in West Bengal Jena said the port, once commis- to apathy of the state government 4.24 acres is required for railway beneficiary expressing his/her monitor the toilet construction total investment. The Chief Minister, will be started in February. Although sioned, will bolster the social-eco- and people’s representatives in the connectivity and 1.53 acre is needed inability to carry on the toilet works in Chandahandi, while addressing a youth rally in 14 years have passed, the nomic condition of people in the area. Convener of the Bhitamati for construction of access road. construction work, any SHG, or Jharigaon and Raighar blocks. village committee or a volun- It was alleged that no action tary organization will be asked was taken against some vendors 8 kids critical after eating poisonous fruits to work construction. and officials, who are responsi- Job fraud: Panigrahy sent After construction of every ble for the irregularities. 2K SHG members to Berhampur jail for 3 days POST NEWS NETWORK were immediately admitted to toilet, Rs 12,000 will be credited The BDO said some vendors Malkangiri district head- into the accounts of the benefi- have been served notices while POST NEWS NETWORK Malkangiri, Feb 4: In a bizarre quarters hospital (DHH) by ciaries. It was learnt that 118 toilet work of some beneficiaries development, as many as eight their parents. Six among the vendors have constructed 26,500 has been stuck halfway. taken for a big ride Berhampur, Feb 4: Golanthara police pro- children fell sick after they sick children are girls. toilets in this block. Rs 31.86 crore Beneficiaries demanded that the duced Gopalpur MLA and former minister ate poisonous Jatropha fruits All the children were in crit- has been provided to the ven- state government start a high Pradeep Panigrahy in the court of Sub- Wednesday afternoon at an ical condition. Their parents ad- dors’ accounts. level investigation and taken ac- POST NEWS NETWORK ANOTHER PONZI Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) here, Anganwadi centre near mittedthem at the hospital in However, Congress leaders tion against the guilty.When Thursday. A police team brought Panigrahy, cur- Mansuguda village under time. All of them are safe now, like Pradip Majhi and Munna asked about a vigilance probe Phulbani, Feb 4: Another ponzi rently under judicial custody in Jharpada Sindhrimal block in said a doctor at the DHH. Tripathy alleged that the block into the matter, the BDO re- fraud has come to the fore in Special Jail, to the city. Malkangiri district. The eight children consumed administration had stalled the bill mained mum. Phulbani area of Kandhamal dis- The expelled leader of the ruling Biju Janata Later in the evening, the Jatropha fruits in the sur- trict. It was alleged that a chit fun Dal (BJD) was arrested by the Crime Branch children started vomiting and rounding areas of the firm named CMC Odisha had swin- December 3 in connection with a fraud case reg- suffered from severe head reel- Anganwadi centre owing to dled over Rs 10 lakh from 2,000 istered at the Cyber Police Station. Golanthara ing after returning to their re- the negligence of Anganwadi members of 400 SHGs. Gullible Khajuripada, 50 SHGs in Tikabali police have registered three similar cases spective homes. The children workers, it was alleged. tribal women are in a spot after and 50 in Baliguda. against Panigrahy. losing their money to the firm, a Later, they collected Rs 500 from Meanwhile, SDJM Jeetendriya Panigrahi re- report said. each as membership fund and is- manded Panigrahy to three day judicial cus- According to the report, the chit sued receipts to them. tody of Berhampur Circle jail starting from fund firm had opened its office After some days, when women Thursday. There the jailor and jail doctor will near the Phulbani SBI branch four SHG members went to the CMC look after his health condition, the defendant’s months back. On it signboard, its Odisha office, it was closed. Then advocate Deepak Patnaik said. Later, he will head office was mentioned at they suspected foul play. be produced in the SDJM court in Bhubaneswar Krishna Garden, Phase-II, Plot-18 However, the field staff of the February 7 before being remanded again to in Jagamara. company were mostly locals. They Jharpada jail, Patnaik said. Women alleged that the staff of are now in the firing line of the in- The CB’s case relates to impersonation, the chit fund company later opened vestors. When the staff were asked cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and sub-branch offices at Phulbani, to pay money, they had contacted other cyber offences by Akash Kumar Pathak, Khajuripada, Tikabali and Baliguda. the Bhubaneswar office of the chit who impersonated himself as Managing They won the confidence of the fund company. But none could be Director (in-charge) of Tata Motors passenger people by assuring them that they contacted. Nearly, 18 staff of the car division. Akash is the son of senior Indian will provide loan of Rs 40,000 to chit fund firm have filed complaints Forest Service (IFS) officer Abhay Kant Pathak. each member of the SHG within 45 at Phulbani and Khajuripada police Speaking to mediapersons on the court days. They also visited villages stations about the financial wrong- premises, Panigrahy’s wife Sujata raised serious and formed SHGs by involving doings. Police have started an in- concerns over her husband’s health. “The tribal women. They formed 200 vestigation into the alleged fraud, court had allowed him to visit a doctor but SHGs in Phulbani, 100 in some SHG members said. the police produced him today,” she added. 13 Kalahandi migrants ‘pawned’ for `5L in AP

POST NEWS NETWORK went viral. the video message alleged few hours. Whenever the According to the report, that the middleman has sold migrants express their in- Bhawanipatana, Feb 4: In a middleman identified as them for Rs 5 lakh to a factory ability to work, the owner a shocking incident, 13 mi- Bishnu Prasad Majhi of owner at Domokonda under tortures and abuses them, grant labourers of Kalahandi Mukhiguda village under Kamareddy block of they alleged. The migrant were reportedly pawned by Dharmagarh police limits Chintamonopally district. labourers in their video a broker to a factory owner had taken 13 people of his The owner has been sub- message have urged the ad- in Andhra Pradesh. The mat- village to Andhra Pradesh jecting them to hard work ministration to rescue them ter came to the fore after the on the promise of providing for more than 18 hours a day from them from the clutches labourers narrated their mis- them work in December, 2020. and keep them all locked up of the owner as soon as eries through a video that The migrant labourers in inside a house at night for a possible. ASI’s claim of Lalitgiri facelift at `95 lakh on weak ground

POST NEWS NETWORK tance can be gauged from the fact that Chinese scholar Chandikhole, Feb 4: Even and traveler Hiuen Tsang as the Archeological Survey also visited Lalitgiri when of India (ASI) claims it has he visited India. This finds spent Rs 95, 45,160 lakh to- mention in his book Pu-Si-Ko- wards beautification of an- Li. cient Buddhist site Lallitgiri According to historians, near here over last 11 years, the site came up between not a single garden has been first century BC and second created to draw tourists to century AD. The ASI dis- the place, a report said. The covered the skeletal remains revelation came to the fore fol- of Lord Buddha packed in lowing a reply available under a small casket. The skeletal the Right to Information Act. being made to hoodwink peo- this site in large numbers to remains have now been kept The ASI claimed it spent ple and demanded a proper see Buddhism and its prac- in three small containers in- money on beautification and probe to unravel the truth. tices that flourished in past. side the bullet proof mu- upkeep of the Buddhist site. Locals suspect that the fund The Archeological Survey seum. The excavation also The Lalitgiri sarpanch meant for upkeep and beau- of India on behalf of the found remnants of four Sanjukta Singh has raised tification of the site has been Centre works towards the monasteries and several idols objections to such claims. usurped. Lalitagiri is a upkeep and beautification of the Buddhist era. Singh wanted to know on major Buddhist site in the of these sites and other sites Historians are of the opinion what heads the ASI has spent state comprising major stu- assigned to it in the state. that the ancient sculptures be- the money as a single park pas, 'esoteric' Buddha im- Reports said the ancient long to the period between 6th has not been created at ages, and monasteries. The Buddhist site is situated in century and 11th century. Lallitgiri. site has Buddha's relics and Mahanga block of Cuttack The site is visited by re- She alleged the claim is was known for practice of district close to Chandikhole. searchers from within and Tantric Buddhism at this The site acquired promi- outside of the country but the site. nence after the skeletal re- ASI has not been able to es-

Lalitagiri is part of the mains of Lord Buddha were tablish a park to attract them

k y m c ‘Diamond Triangle’ together recovered from this site. Later, during their visit. When with the Ratnagiri and on the demand of residents, contacted, Arun Kumar Udayagiri, the two other sites the ASI constructed a bullet Mallick, superintendent of in the district. Tourists, re- proof museum and stored ASI, refused to comment on searchers as well as inter- the skeletal remains of Lord the issue, saying he is new to national tour operators visit Buddha. The site’s impor- the place. P6 FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 5 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR power post

FOCUS ASSEMBLY POLLS 2021 True knowledge is not attained by

thinking. It is what you are; it is

k y m what you become c SRI AUROBINDO BATTLE FOR BENGAL ith just two months to ment for a regional political party go for the state like TMC; nevertheless, when it is Assembly polls in faced with a national party like the Good packaging WWest Bengal, battle BJP, the ensuing electoral battle be- lines have already been drawn be- comes more competitive for the refrain in this year’s Budget was ‘spend’. Union Finance Minister tween the major political parties TMC leadership for not only to Nirmala Sitharaman, during her 100 plus-minute speech, was at pains with hectic electoral preparations ensure its victory but also to con- Ato state that ‘We have spent, we have spent and we have spent’. In fact, having been underway for the past trol the damage it could incur by the government claimed it spent `4.1 lakh crore more than what it had set over two months. Apart from the being defensively offensive. The out for in last year’s Budget due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The additional ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) BJP winning of 18 Lok Sabha seats spend worked out to a rise of 13 per cent of the budgeted expenditure which led by Mamata Banerjee, the BJP in 2019 translates into 121 assem- it said pushed the fiscal deficit to an unprecedented 9.5 per cent. The projected is seemingly the major challenger. bly segments and in order to realize fiscal deficit in the coming fiscal has been pegged at 6.8 per cent. Expenditure Undeniably, the Left parties and Amit Shah’s estimate of 200 seats, in the coming fiscal is estimated to go up by over 14 per cent, while the gov- Congress have few pockets of in- the BJP will have to significantly ernment revenue is projected to dip by 12 per cent. However, in reality, the fluence in the state; nonetheless, they improve its numbers. government’s claim that it had spent an additional `4.1 lakh crore in the cur- are not major players. Media reports Nevertheless, the TMC takes rent fiscal is eyewash. Out of `4.1 lakh crore additional spend, about `3 lakh indicate that Janata Dal-United or comfort in the fact that tone and crore was spent on additional food subsidy. But don’t make a mistake by think- JD(U) along with Rashtriya Janata Buoyed by its tally in West Bengal in the 2019 tenor of Lok Sabha polls is usually ing that the additional money was used to arrange free food for the pandemic- Dal (RJD) from the neighbouring Lok Sabha elections, BJP’s Amit Shah has taken different from the Assembly elec- hit people in the early months of the nationwide lockdown. In fact, about half state of Bihar are also eager to test on himself to wrest West Bengal from TMC tions and its leadership is confident of this money was given to Food Corporation of India to clear its old dues. the electoral waters of Bengal. that TMC fort is not going to crum- If we take this amount out, the actual spend was just a little over `1 lakh crore. Dr Anil Singh Muslims, constituting about 30 and for this purpose he along with other senior ble. Recent desertions within the Similarly, about `50,000 crore of the additional expenditure went towards clear- per cent of the total population BJP leaders embarked on a strategy of TMC demonstrate how ill-quipped ing the old dues of the state-owned fertilizer firms. This means the real ad- of the state, are said to be a deciding the TMC is in handling and ad- ditional spending which the government claims to have been spent was be- WITH JUST TWO factor in nearly 100-110 seats in organising rallies, inducting ‘disgruntled’ TMC dressing internal dissent and how tween `1.3 lakh crore and `1.4 lakh crore or just 0.7 per cent of the GDP. the state and the entry of AIMIM leaders into the BJP centralised power within the party As regards the so-called rise in expenditure in this year’s Budget, which MONTHS TO GO in the state politics has been dubbed is. The TMC, according to some ex- is `4.4 lakh crore more than last year's estimate, a lion’s share of this by the TMC leaders as an attempt perts, suffers from a structural would go towards clearing the FCI’s long pending dues. Therefore, the tall FOR THE STATE to split the Muslim vote in the bound to create insecurities among led TMC to deflate her morale and flaw primarily because it revolves claim of spending big in the next fiscal to trigger growth is not all that true. ASSEMBLY state and help the BJP. During the the minorities, and on the other enfeeble the TMC. around the personality of one The Finance Minister also spoke at length about the big capex the government 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the hand, polarise the Hindu vote. According to reports in a section leader. Admittedly, the TMC had will make in the coming fiscal. An expenditure of `5.54 lakh crore will be POLLS IN WEST Muslims acted as a bulwark of Undeniably, the BJP's claim to the of media, the BJP has made ef- a movement character to it in the made on capex. But a major portion of this money will go to four poll-bound BENGAL, BATTLE the TMC against its rivals, with legacy of Shyama Prasad forts to appropriate the legacy of initial stage that enabled the party states such as Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala and Assam. These four states most of them voting in favour of Mookerjee can be an asset for the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to to successfully dislodge the elec- between them will account for `2.27 lakh crore of the so-called big capex LINES HAVE the TMC, considering it as a cred- party; concurrently, it is a long its electoral advantage in the poll- toral hegemony of the CPI (M) and `1.08 lakh crore will be spent for capex in railways. The minister said ible force that could resist the saf- way to go for the party to rebut the bound state of West Bengal by or- that had lasted for over three the increased spending is aimed at creating demand in the economy and ALREADY BEEN fron surge. However, the decision charge of TMC that the BJP is a ganizing a meeting at Victoria decades; nonetheless, the TMC support job creation. But if at all it happens they will take place in the four DRAWN of Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui of party of outsiders. Memorial at Kolkata on January continued to maintain total dom- poll-bound states, not across the whole country. But the way this was pre- Hooghly district’s Furfura Sharif, There is no exaggeration in say- 23 to commemorate the 125th birth inance at the ground level by in- sented in the budget it gave an impression that big money has been earmarked BETWEEN an influential cleric, to float his new ing that the BJP has taken a quan- anniversary of Netaji in the pres- ducting local leaders and cadres for building infrastructure in the country. The whole exercise was nothing THE MAJOR political outfit – Indian Secular tum leap in West Bengal since ence of Prime Minister Narendra from other parties but failed to but good packaging. Coming in the aftermath of a global health crisis Front – and his plans to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, from a Modi. While addressing the gath- carve itself into a party. Allegiance which saw millions of deaths and still counting, the least we were expect- POLITICAL elections from all 294 Assembly count of two seats out of 42 in ering, Chief Minister Mamata to the leader held the party to- ing from the Budget was long-term structural reforms. The stakes were very PARTIES WITH seats, entails the potential of up- 2014 to 18 seats in 2019. According Banerjee objected to the chants gether and the loyalty was bought high. People had more or less made up their minds that this was going to setting many political equations to some experts, the BJP's vote of ‘Jai Shri Ram’, in the presence by offering patronage. be a tough Budget as the government’s resources were tight. Tough times HECTIC in the poll-bound state. share did not decline between 2014 of Prime Minister and left the Some experts also attribute the demand tough decisions. But there were no big-ticket announcements in BJP’s Game Plan and 2019 in any parliamentary podium as a mark of protest. Some delay on the part of the senior the entire Budget speech of the Union Finance Minister, except for a bold ELECTORAL Buoyed by its tally in West constituency, while Left front's observers feel that the BJP's at- TMC leadership in addressing the move to sell government assets, euphemistically called strategic disin- PREPARATIONS Bengal in the 2019 Lok Sabha elec- share declined in every parlia- tempts to appropriate the legacy concerns of the party rank and vestments. Selling assets to overcome tough times is the easiest thing to do. tions, BJP’s Amit Shah has taken mentary constituency. The Left's of Netaji are fraught with ideo- file as being responsible for mass The government is doing precisely this. The rest is good packaging. HAVING BEEN on himself to wrest West Bengal loss was the BJP's gain because the logical contradictions because, if exodus of leaders from the party to UNDERWAY FOR from TMC and for this purpose Left vote share did not transfer to anything else, Netaji was avowedly the saffron fold and emphasise that he along with other senior BJP the TMC. Broadly speaking, the secular through his political career. the TMC needs to introspect and dis- WISDOM CORNER THE PAST OVER leaders embarked on a strategy Left cadre and supporters voted 's- Mamata’s Defensive Offence pel all doubts about its inclusive TWO MONTHS of organising rallies, inducting trategically' for the BJP to defeat Despite desertion of some lead- character. Recent assertions of All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue ‘disgruntled’ TMC leaders into the TMC. The post-2019 period ers from the TMC to the saffron Mamata Banerjee reflect her con- them. WALT DISNEY the BJP, raising the CAA issue to has witnessed defections from the brigade, the TMC leadership is fidence that her government of polarise the Hindu votes and prom- Left as well as the TMC. still confident of coming with fly- ‘Ma-Mati-Manush’ will retain power The secret of getting ahead is getting started. ising a ‘sonar Bangla’. The BJP’s Nevertheless, a major component ing colours in the ensuing state MARK TWAIN in the state. She has described BJP known stance on CAA and the mi- of the game plan of the BJP has Assembly polls. Though exit of as a balloon that is alive only in I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 norities, especially the illegal im- been to spirit away key aides, min- leaders in the run up to the elec- media, whereas the TMC stays games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and migrants, is, on the one hand, isters, MPs and MLAs of Mamata- tions is not a surprising develop- alive in the hearts of the people. missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed. MICHAEL JORDAN

WORDSWORTH SPECTRUM LABOUR TAXATION Broom-squire house recently advertised for sale near the Devil’s Punchbowl in Surrey Amentioned that it had once been used by broom-squires. These weren’t the minor aristocracy of rural places that the second half of their title Give workers a fighting chance suggests but poor rural artisans. At some unknown date squatters settled in the Punch-Bowl, at a period when it was in as wild and solitary a region as he first months of US the Republicans’ 2017 tax cuts, cap- even to the point of excess. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United any in England. They enclosed portions of the slopes. They built themselves President Joe Biden's ad- ital such as equipment and soft- Consider the choice between em- ruling, which opened the floodgates hovels; they pastured their sheep, goats, cattle on the sides of the Punch- Tministration will be defined ware faced a tax rate of about 5%, ploying ten workers for the next ten for corporate spending in elections. Bowl, and they added to their earnings the profits of a trade they by the efforts to contain COVID-19 while the effective tax on labor re- years, at a salary of $100,000 per year, Even more important has been the monopolized — that of making and selling brooms. On the lower slopes of and deliver vaccinations on a mass mained largely unchanged. and buying an $11 million machine increase in industry lobbying, with the range grew coppices of Spanish chestnut, and rods of this wood served scale. Over the medium term, how- Today's rock-bottom taxes on cap- that will perform exactly the same corporations not only influencing admirably for broom-handles. The heather when long and wiry and strong, ever, the economy will determine the ital are the result of several devel- tasks. The cost of the first option lawmakers, but often even writing covered with its harsh leafage and myriad hard knobs, which were to burst administration's success. Here, opments. Marginal taxes on rich is $12.5 million ($10 million for the the legislation themselves. into flower, answered for the brush. On account of this manufacture, the Daron Acemoglu Biden has indicated that tax reform households – which tend to receive workers, plus tax), whereas the The economics profession also squatters in the Punch-Bowl went by the designation of Broom-Squires. They will be a high priority, and he has the greatest share of their income cost of the second option is only hasn't helped. Many economists provided with brooms every farm and gentleman’s house, nay, every cottage BIDEN HAS released plans to address long-run- from capital – have declined, and $11.55 million (the price of the ma- have clung for too long to the view for miles around. A wagon-load of these besoms was often purchased, and INDICATED THAT ning fiscal problems such as fed- many businesses have changed chine, plus the 5% effective tax on that capital should not be taxed, the supply lasted some years. Broom-squires were necessarily restricted to eral government revenue shortfalls their tax status to become S-corpo- capital). The decision is easy. Even on the grounds that doing so dis- the heathlands of England, such as the Surrey Heaths of the story and the TAX REFORM WILL and the tax system's loss of pro- rations, which are exempt from cor- though the workers in this case courages savings and reduces in- New Forest further south, though at times the brush of the broom wasn’t gressivity. But these proposals do not porate income tax. The biggest fac- are actually more efficient than vestment. heather but birch twigs, strictly speaking turning their makers into besom- BE A HIGH squires, a term that appears only rarely. Squire is not a term of respect here. yet go far enough to address a major tor, however, is the US tax code's the capital (receiving $10 million for This is not a call for the kind of Alongside its sense of a country gentleman was a contemptuous one that PRIORITY, AND HE fault line in the tax code: the ex- increasingly generous depreciation work that would require an $11 wealth tax that became a hot-but- evolved from its oldest meaning of an attendant on a knight, hence later HAS RELEASED cessively favorable treatment of allowances, which have allowed million machine to do), the tax ton issue in the Democratic pres- merely a servant, and a lowly one at that. A close relative is the long capital income (profits and returns corporations to deduct so much in- code nonetheless induces this hy- idential primaries. Rather, the point obsolete apple-squire, which may be politely defined as a male companion PLANS TO on financial assets and savings). vestment expenditure from their pothetical business to prefer job- is to devise a tax code that does of a woman of ill-repute, more accurately a pimp (we may guess the apple Capital has always been taxed tax liability that some are actually eliminating automation. not inordinately disadvantage labor was a sly reference to the biblical Eve, though the Oxford English Dictionary ADDRESS more lightly than labour has in receiving a net investment subsidy. To be sure, if more technolo- vis-à-vis machines. Now that we suggests a woman’s breasts were meant). Broom-squires, often itinerant LONG-RUNNING the United States. In my own re- The asymmetry between capital gies, including digital technolo- are in the middle of the worst eco- and always poor, had an unsavoury reputation not so far removed from the search with MIT's Andrea Manera and labour that began in the 1980s gies, were designed to complement nomic crisis in generations, it then conventional view of gypsies. FISCAL PROBLEMS and Pascual Restrepo of Boston increased income inequality and rather than replace humans, ad- would be inadvisable to hike cap- SUCH AS FEDERAL University, we estimate that the ef- distorted investment and em- ditional capital investment need ital taxes suddenly. But as we emerge Brouhaha fective tax on labour (accounting ployment decisions. Today, its con- not eliminate jobs, and could even from the COVID-19 recession, the GOVERNMENT for payroll and federal-income sequences are graver still, because boost overall worker productivity. economy will need both jobs and he usual spelling is brouhaha, meaning an overexcited and noisy response, taxes) in the 1980s and 1990s was the range of technologies that Unfortunately, this is not the case. more tax revenues, not just to serv- Ta commotion, hubbub or uproar. It’s a negative word for some unpleasant REVENUE about 25%, which meant that it firms can use to automate their How did we end up with tax poli- ice a larger national debt, but also confusion; a more neutral alternative might be the equally odd-looking hubbub. SHORTFALLS AND cost $1.25 to pay an employee $1. By operations has expanded. There cies that are overtly fueling in- to invest more in health care, in- We know the word came from the French word spelled the same way; it’s found contrast, the effective tax on capi- are many more machines and al- equality and costing jobs? For frastructure, and education. in French from the sixteenth century on, but it only arrived in English at the end THE TAX SYSTEM'S tal was only around 15%. gorithms capable of performing starters, large corporations have of the nineteenth century. It seems to have been used in French drama as a LOSS OF The situation has only worsened tasks done by human workers, and become more vocal and powerful po- The writer is a Professor of noise made by the devil, who cried brou, ha, ha!. Many etymologists will say since then, as effective taxes on the tax code are actively encour- litically over the last several decades Economics at MIT. that the word was just a noisy nonsense exclamation that imitated the thing it PROGRESSIVITY capital have declined. Following aging companies to adopt them, – and not just because of the ©PROJECT SYNDICATE referred to. But there is a theory, put forward by Walther von Wartburg, that it actually comes from the Hebrew barukh habba, meaning “welcome” — literally “blessed be the one who comes” — a phrase that appears several times in the Book of Psalms and which is used in Synagogue prayers and as a greeting at Jewish weddings and other public occasions. You might think that this is just Odia language promotion Ranji Trophy cancelled another case of folk wisdom guessing on the basis of slight resemblance, but there is evidence to suggest it may be correct. There’s a similar word in the Sir, The efforts of the state government to promote Odia language is praise- Sir, The most prestigious domestic cricket championship Arezzo dialect of Italian, barruccaba, which is without doubt borrowed from the worthy as one looks at the several initiatives fill our minds with awe on this. ever, the Ranji Trophy will not be held this year. Many Hebrew, and phrases in several other languages suggest that other Hebrew etters If we look back, crores were paid to launch special Odia language promoting Indian cricketers metamorphosed from its stables. The expressions were similarly borrowed. study chairs, scholarship in the name of doyen of Odia language and setting championship drew huge crowds on its day. Especially up of an Odia University in Satyabadi, Sakhigopal. These ventures cost the tax- when international cricketers graced the tournament, the TOL THE EDITOR payers’ money to promote Odia language, while a close look shows a different excitement cannot be missed. No doubt, it will return next LOL Readers of Orissa POST picture. Except for a few students many deserving ones are yet to get scholarship. year, but the emptiness now is both visible and palpable, are most welcome to contribute letters The government has donated corpus donated to universities outside Odisha, and is irreplaceable. There is a handy excuse for not run- world; he goes (200 words), articles and while the state’s own universities are bereft of required funds for promotion ning the Ranji Trophy: Corona. Of course, the Board is “fully Door to heaven columns (between 750-1250 into to hell. words). Contributors are of Odia language. Further the payment of bulk by one government department prepared” for the Indian Premier League that will kick start hree dead men go to hell at the The Mexican man requested to send their to another for procuring of land for the proposed Odia University was projected in April. Securing a bio secure environment is not that easy; Tsame time. There is a white man, a gets a glass soda contact numbers and full in the manner as if the varsity was already established. Appointment of mem- it demands hard work and utmost discipline. Obtaining

Chinese man, and a Mexican man. bottle, farts into it, closes postal address/email ID. They may also bers to language academy was held routinely and distribution of Odia books a bio bubble and maintaining it for four days in a venue,

k y m send in their valuable comments, opinion c Satan tells them that they can only the lid, pokes many holes in the lid, and suggestions, preferably by email, in Odia-speaking areas once in a while was projected with hype. But despite and for four months in different venues, is a herculean chal- leave hell if he can't do what they ask. and asks Satan which hole the fart to: [email protected] the compulsory use of this language, setting up of an Odia Language Commission lenge and the board was not game for it. About 800 play- The white man asks for the fastest came from. After pointing to every even few years after the promulgation of the law has not been materialised yet. ers stand to be affected. Those with no IPL contract will be sports car in the world; he goes to into hole on the lid, the Mexican turns We are amazed to see the hypocrisy of the government and how far they can affected the most. There are players who depend on the Ranji hell. The Chinese man asks for the around, points at his butt hole, and B-15, Rasulgarh Industrial Estate, play with our people in the name of the language. Trophy alone for their earnings. most advanced computer in the says, "Nope, this one." Bhubaneswar-751010 Janaki Ballav Dash, BHUBANESWAR Ganapathi Bhat, AKOLA KERALA

P7 KARNATAKA

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 5 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

k y m FINALLY, FULL HOUSE IN KARNA US looking to collaborate with c The state allows theatres to work in full capacity for next four weeks on an ‘experimental’ basis India to counter space threats

AGENCIES IT ALL STARTED WHEN KANNADA AGENCIES ACTOR PUNIT RAJKUMAR, TAKING Bangalore, Feb 4: With the TO TWITTER, HIT OUT KARNATAKA Bangalore, Feb 4: The US is look- Kannada filmdom’s first family GOVT’S DECISION THAT WAS TAKEN ing forward to working with India raising its voice against the gov- TUESDAY NOT TO ALLOW THEATRES to tackle evolving space threats, ernment’s decision to run film the- IN THEIR FULL CAPACITY US Defence Attache in India, Rear atres in half of its capacity, Admiral Eileen Laubacher, said Karnataka has allowed the theatres Thursday. to work in full capacity for next HE QUESTIONED WHY THE GOVT At a seminar during the ongoing four weeks on an ‘experimental’ WAS TARGETING FILM INDUSTRY Aero India, she said: “As we build ALONE WHEN MARKETS, SHOPS Today, basis. out our own Space Force, re-es- AND ALL OTHER COMMERCIAL we are seeing an It all started when Kannada film ESTABLISHMENTS WERE tablish the Space Command, we increasingly provocative superstar, Punit Rajkumar taking FUNCTIONING WITHOUT ANY look forward to wide-ranging co- set of behaviour throughout to Twitter hit out Karnataka gov- operation with India and the Defence HINDRANCE the Indo-Pacific, from the ernment’s decision that was taken Space Agency. It is imperative that tance of the ro- About ex- Taiwan Strait to the South Tuesday not to allow theatres in we both work together in this emerg- bust partnership isting co-oper- their full capacity, he questioned, view the welfare of those em- ing domain as space threats evolve.” between both the China Sea, to India’s borders ations between why the government was target- prompted Chief Minister BS allowed 50 per cent seating in cin- ployed in the film industry. Rear Admiral Laubacher, refer- countries. To de- high in the Himalayas both countries, ing film industry alone when mar- Yediyurappa to assign Health ema halls. Though the centre has “They have also appealed to the ring to the growing Chinese as- fend the rules-based REAR ADMIRAL LAUBACHER | US Rear Admiral kets, shops and all other commer- Minsiter, K Sudhakar to find an cleared 100 per cent seating in chief minister to support them in sertiveness and emerging threats international order DEFENCE ATTACHE IN INDIA Laubacher cial establishments were functioning amicable solution and meanwhile cinema halls, the decision was this difficult time,” he added. for the Indo-Pacific region, said: against actors and activi- said the without any hindrance. film actors and technicians dele- left to the discretion of state gov- The minister added that strict “Today we are seeing an increas- ties that seek to threaten it, the US Information Fusion Centre- Once, the tweet of Punit gation led by Shivarajkuar too ernments depending on the situ- guidelines will be released Thursday ingly provocative set of behaviour has joined India and like-minded Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), Rajukumar, who is youngest son reached Vidhana Soudha to sub- ation in each state and we opted and halls can start screening their throughout the Indo-Pacific, from countries to counter these emerg- headquartered in the National of Kannada thespian Dr. Rajkumar, mit their memorandum to the CM. to continue with 50 per cent seat- moves from Friday onwards. the Taiwan Strait to the South ing threats. The Defence Attache also Capital Region is already coordi- went viral, his eldest brother and Sudhakar after meeting ing capacity. But after rethink- While actor Shivarajkuar said China Sea, to India’s borders high talked about India's effort to de- nating with maritime agencies superstar Shivarajkumar, too Wednesday the delegations led by ing, we have decided to allow cin- that the entire film fraternity Ais in the Himalayas. These actions fend freedom of the high seas and throughout the region to prevent en- slammed the government's deci- Shivarajkumar said that the meet- ema theatres to operate in its full suffering from huge losses due to clo- threaten the norms of interna- maritime and land borders. vironmental disasters in the future. sion through his tweet. ing was held ‘as per the instruc- capacity,” he said. sure of film theatres for nearly a year. tional conduct, the norms which She also mentioned how India “Our US liaison officer there in Once both bothers tweeted, al- tions of Yediyurappa’. He added that the Kannada “I appeal or fans to respect Covid - India and the United States uphold sent technical equipment and a Gurgaon contributes regularly to most all Sandalwood stars and tech- “As per technical advisory com- film industry opposed this de- 19 protocols,” he added and pro- resolutely.” She also pointed that the team of specialists to Mauritius to ensure pertinent information is nicians also came down heavily on mittee recommendations, the cision and requested to recon- fusely thanked Yediyurappa to come security challenges at India’s help local authorities combat the integrated into the IFC’s overall the government. This apparently Health department had earlier sider the decision keeping in to their rescue. doorstep underscore the impor- devastating oil spill last year. efforts,” she added. India ready to provide Cong’s campaign against ‘backdoor recruitments’

AGENCIES “Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan The LDF had told IANS. weapon systems to is giving largesse to CPI-M cadres government Meanwhile, KPCC President Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 4: at the expense of ordinary edu- led by the Mullappally Ramachandran said The Congress in Kerala said cated unemployed youths who don't CPI-M is on that the United Democratic Front IOR countries: Rajnath Thursday that it will carry out ex- have political influence. The a recruitment will “review” all back-door re- tensive public campaign against Congress and the UDF will take spree in Kerala and cruitment once it returns to power ‘intensive back-door recruitments’ their protests to the streets for the thereby cheating in the state. done by the CPI-led UDF government sake of youths of Kerala,” the Speaking to IANS on phone, he educated and ‘review’ such cases when it re- Leader of Opposition in the said: “The LDF government is in- turns to power in the southern Assembly added. unemployed dulging in favouritism on a mass state. The Congress leader also said youths in the state scale at the expense of poor and “The LDF government led by the that the recruitment lists prepared RAMESH CHENNITHALA | educated but unemployed youths, CPI-M is on a recruitment spree in by the State Public Service KERALA CONG LEADER who have been struggling to crack Kerala and thereby cheating edu- Commission will be of no use as ma- the state public service commis- cated unemployed youths in the jority of government jobs will be services of 118 temporary workers had regularised 118 temporary sion exams. These youths will never state,” Senior Congress leader given by the LDF government posted in the Centre for Development workers, leading to an uproar in forgive the Left government for Ramesh Chennithala told the media through the back door. of Imaging Technology (C-Dit), a de- the state. “Vijayan had overlooked these back-door recruitments. We at Kozhikode during his ‘Aiswarya Chennithala said that the state partment under the Chief Minister. a note of objection by the Finance will review all these recruitments Kerala Yatra’. government had also regularised the A Cabinet meeting Wednesday Department,” highly placed sources once we come back to power.”

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Comoros Dhoihir Dhoulkamal after their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of Aero India 2021 in Bangalore Nadda to rescue ailing Kerala BJP CBI charge-sheets 9 cops in AGENCIES total of 27 out of the 28 Sulking Shobha Surendran attends the party prez’s meeting in Kerala Kerala custodial death case Bangalore, Feb 4: India is ready AIndian Ocean countries to supply various types of weapon participated in the Indian AGENCIES The THE CUSTODIAL systems to Indian Ocean Region Ocean Region Defence party countries, Defence Minister Rajnath Ministers’ Conclave Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 4: will take DEATH CASE WAS Singh said Thursday, while stress- he Defence Minister didn’t Former BJP national executive up the REPORTED AT ing that the countries need to en- Tname China while referring member and firebrand orator from issues sure peace in the region through to the current situation in the Kerala, Shobha Surendran, who raised by NEDUMKANDAM “maritime cooperation.” South China Sea during his has been sulking since the past Shobha IN KERALA IN 2019 In a reference to the prevailing address eleven months, has finally made Surendran tension in the South China Sea be- an appearance in the party’s state and allegedly tortured for four days JP NADDA | cause of China’s expansionist strat- fic and two-thirds of the world’s executive meet at Thrissur. The ex- AGENCIES before he was lodged in PREZ, BJP egy, he said that the negative impact oil shipments. ecutive meet was presided by party Nedumkandam sub-jail. He was of conflicting claims in some mar- He said SAGAR – Security and president JP Nadda. Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 4: admitted to a hospital where he itime areas highlighted the need to Growth for All in the Region – is the Shobha Surendran was the gen- Shobha Surendran was the general secretary and party core group member The Central Bureau of Investigation breathed his last. ensure peace in the IOR region. theme of Indian Ocean Policy as out- eral secretary and party core group when she was demoted to the post of party state vice president after new (CBI) charge- sheeted nine police Woman Head Constable Geethu However, the Defence Minister lined by Prime Minister Narendra member when she was demoted to president K Surendran assumed office officials, including two women, in Gopinath and Constable Biju did not name China while refer- Modi in 2015, adding that in line with the post of party state vice president Shobha had been shying away from party programmes ever since an Ernakulam court Thursday in Lukose are also named in the charge ring to the current situation in the this, the IOR conclave should focus after new president K Surendran as- a custodial death case reported in sheet that accused Geethu of sub- South China Sea during his ad- on security, commerce, connectiv- sumed office. Shobha had been shy- Nedumkandam in Kerala in 2019. jecting a woman employee of a dress at the Indian Ocean Region ity, fight against terrorism and ing away from party programmes V Muraleedharan and BJP state trict or Kazhakootam from the In its charge sheet submitted in chit fund company, arrested along Defence Ministers’ Conclave here. inter-cultural exchanges. ever since. BJP President JP Nadda president K Surendran are from state capital. the Chief Judicial Magistrate court, with Rajkumar, to brutal torture. A total of 27 out of the 28 Indian The Minister identified areas Wednesday told media persons at the same community. However, Shobha Surendran has consis- then Sub-Inspector of The CBI said that the accused po- Ocean countries participated in the such as deepening economic and se- Thiruvananthapuram that the party Shobha is popular among the BJP tently improved her vote share in Nedumkandam police station, KA lice officials had foisted false charges conclave and shared their views on curity cooperation in the littoral, will take up the issues raised by cadres and masses owing to her elections. In the 2019 General Sabu, has been made the first ac- on Rajkumar. The agency had also enhancing regional cooperation. enhancing capacities to safeguard Shobha Surendran. Her presence firebrand oratory skills. Elections as a party candidate cused. ASI Sibi and policemen questioned senior police officers in- Rajnath Singh underlined that land and maritime territories, at the meeting is a clear indicator With Shobha Surendran at- from Attingal constituency she Rejimon, Niiyas, Sajeev Antony, cluding then Idukki SP KB the Indian Ocean is a shared asset working towards sustainable re- that Nadda has addressed the issues tending the party meeting, it is had garnered 2,48,081 votes much and Jithin K George and Home Venugopal and Kattapana DSP and a lifeline to international trade gional development, the Blue raised by her. now clear that she will be a can- higher than the 90,528 votes the Guard KM James are the co-ac- Shams, jail employees, including and transport due to its control of Economy, including sustainable Shobha is from the backward didate in the upcoming Assembly party candidate had got in the cused. warders on duty on that day, doc- major sea-lanes carrying half of and regulated fishing, and pro- class Ezhava community but her elections and she will contest 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The vote In June 2019, Rajkumar of tors who had examined Rajkumar the world's container ships, one- moting collective action to deal bete noires in the party Union min- either from Palakkad or from percentage had jumped from 10 Nedumkandam was taken arrested and doctors who conducted the third of the world’s bulk cargo traf- with non-traditional threats. ister of state for External Affairs Konni in Pathanamthitta dis- per cent to 24 per cent. in cases related to a ponzi scheme post-mortem.

DEMO OVER DEMANDS ‘Pet parents’ observe baby shower for dog

AGENCIES When she (Lucy) got Dharwad (Karnataka), Feb 4: A pregnant about a month family that owns four to five dogs ago, my father recalled and take pride in calling themselves that in his younger days, as ‘pet parents’ has organised he had organised ‘Seemanta Seemanta Karya – ‘baby shower Karya’ for his pet dog... then ceremony’ for Lucy – their first fe- it was a taboo but was well male labrador whom they do not hes- received itate to call as their daughter. PRITHVIRAJ PADATER | OWNER OF LUCY “I instantly fell in love with this puppy when I first saw her in one bers dropped in and along with our of my acquaintances' houses and neighbours, we enjoyed it,” he said. straightaway brought her home. Prithviraj only regrets that he did When she got pregnant about a not capture it on video as he only month ago, my father recalled that clicked a few pictures of this pro-

in his younger days, he had or- REPRESENTATIVE PIC gramme as it never crossed his ganised ‘Seemanta Karya’ for his pet mind that this would ever find a dog... then it was a taboo then, it was place in the media, he observed.

well received,” Prithviraj Padater “This gave me an idea to organ- maiden pregnancy and the family Some pictures taken during this

k y m c told IANS. ise, Seemanta Karya, for our daugh- did it. ceremony were posted on his Padater’s family lives in a small ter Lucy (female labrador) and we “We performed all rituals such WhatsApp status, and one of his village, Saunshi in Karnataka, lo- did it but never thought that this will as making the dog wear saree, ban- friends who works with a local cated in the Kundgol taluk of become a news,” he said. gles and necklaces too. We also or- cable channel, showed it on TV, and Kerala Government PG Medical Teachers’ Association members, wearing PPE kits, stage a demonstration outside the Dharwad district, 400 km from tech He added that Seemanta Karya ganised a feast after the ritual. that is how, the episode caught the Secretariat demanding payment of wage arrears and higher pay at entry-level, in Thiruvananthapuram, Thursday PTI PHOTO hub Bengaluru. can be performed only during the Several of our nearly family mem- media’s attention. P8 For decades in our TWITTER DELETES FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 5 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR country, the meaning of the KANGANA’S TWEETS Budget was restricted to Twitter India Thursday removed two of what announcements were the tweets by actor Kangana Ranaut, made in whose name. The citing a violation of the platform's rules. Budget was turned into an The actor has been criticising y national account of the vote bank protesting farmers over their agitations

NARENDRA MODI | PRIME MINISTER

k y m against the Centre's three farm laws c

of the day uote FARMERS’ PROTEST Nails removed at Ghazipur Lakhs of INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE farmers are sitting on the New Delhi, Feb 4: The Delhi border for two R-Day violence like months. Has he no Police on Thursday said that it desire to meet had got removed the iron spikes them? How far is and nails cemented into the road the border from the Prime near the spot where farmers have Minister's residence? Does the PM been protesting on the Ghazipur have so much ego that he cannot go ‘Capitol Hill rioting’ entry point. It, however, clarified there in a vehicle that the iron spikes and nails AGENCIES would be strategically put up at PRIYANKA GANDHI | CONGRESS LEADER other places. New Delhi/Washington, Feb 4: The action comes after a group In response to the US remarks, of MPs from 10 opposition par- It is settled the government Thursday com- ties visited the Ghazipur border on that these pared the violent protests against Thursday morning to meet the vaccines are its farm reforms to the rioting by farmers but were unable to reach safe. After giving 45 the supporters of former President the spot due to bed of iron spikes lakh doses, there Donald Trump at the Capitol Hill and nails at the barricades. from here around 11 a.m. We will facilitate a dialogue can't be cre- are minimal side effects some times, last month. A senior Delhi Police officer install them wherever we need to." ated. But better be late than never. like one person out of 1,150 persons A spokesperson of the US State told IANS: "We are strategically The Bharatiya Kisan Union The government should not take got a side effect and no death has Department had told the Wall planning to install these iron spikes said: "A right decision has been such decisions that make the pro- been attributed yet, proves that Street Journal on Wednesday that and nails at another location. That taken now. By doing the fortifica- testers feel that they are sitting on these vaccines are superbly safe the Joe Biden administration is why they have been removed tion in the area, an atmosphere to the border of another country." and safest that can ever be devised recognises "that peaceful protests are a hallmark of any thriving The spokesperson compared it to agenda on these protests, and de- VKPAUL| NITI AAYOG MEMBER democracy, and note that the the Capitol Hill violence and said rail them. This was egregiously Indian Supreme Court has stated that both the incidents were "part witnessed on January 26, India's MIXOPATHY the same. We encourage that any of vibrant democracies". Republic Day. A cherished na- HAL to launch People who differences between the parties The ministry in a statement is- tional commemoration, the an- don't have any be resolved through dialogue". sued on Wednesday had explained niversary of the inauguration of IMA members idea about Though the spokesperson also that the Parliament of India, after the Constitution of India, was be- what these farm unmanned fighter jet said that "in general, the United full debate and discussion, had smirched, and violence and van- laws are and how observe relay these are going to States welcomes steps that would passed the reformist legislation re- dalism took place in the Indian cap- benefit the farmers, improve the efficiency of India's lating to the agricultural sector. ital. "Some of these vested interest INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE they have no right to comment markets and attract greater private "These reforms give expanded groups have also tried to mobilise hunger strike without the full knowledge. No one sector investment," he repri- market access and provide greater international support against Bengaluru, Feb 4: Hindustan should take political gain out of this manded the Indian government flexibility to the farmers. They India. Instigated by such fringe el- Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE over the suspension of internet also pave the way for economi- ements, Mahatma Gandhi stat- Thursday unveiled a leap in tech- ANURAG SINGH THAKUR | UNION MINISTER services in and around some farm- cally and ecologically sustainable ues have been desecrated in parts nology of teaming up unmanned Gurugram, Feb 4: The Indian ers' protest sites. farming," it said. The government of the world. This is extremely aircraft and vehicles with manned Medical Association (IMA) mem- "We recognise that unhindered also said that a very small sec- disturbing for India and for jets similar to the US project of bers in Gurugram observed a SHORT TAKES access to information, including tion of farmers in parts of India civilised society everywhere." skybrog. It will enhance Indian relay hunger strike on Thursday the internet, is fundamental to have some reservations about Indian police forces have han- military strike capabilities. against the governments notifi- the freedom of expression and a these reforms. dled these protests with utmost re- Teamed with a manned air- at HAL. He said that it is a dream cation permitting Ayurveda doc- Four drown in hallmark of a thriving democ- "Respecting the sentiments of straint. It may be noted that hun- craft known as mother-ship, the project of HAL and very tors to conduct 58 types of racy," he had said. the protesters, the government of dreds of men and women serving unmanned aircraft will lever- futuristic. modern surgeries. Andhra’s Chittoor On Thursday, during his weekly India has initiated a series of talks in the police have been physically age autonomy to disrupt and de- Elaborating upon the system, Around 200 doctors partici- Kuppam (Andhra Pradesh): briefing, Ministry of External with their representatives. Union attacked, and in some cases feat adversaries in contested en- Chatterjee said the system will pated in the relay hunger strike. Close on the heels of the Affairs spokesperson Anurag ministers have been part of the ne- stabbed and seriously wounded, vironments. have a mother-ship carrying com- The IMA, the apex body of shocking murder of two Srivastava said that it has taken gotiations, and 11 rounds of talks it said. Meanwhile, Lok Sabha The technology named ponents like Hunter and Alpha. Indian doctors, has also planned women by their parents in note of the US State Department's have already been held. The gov- proceedings were disrupted for Combined Air Teaming System The mother ship which is a to shut down OPDs from February Madanapalle, another statement on the agriculture re- ernment has even offered to keep the third consecutive day Thursday (CATS) will have a mother ship manned aircraft will be in the 6 to 14 between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. tragedy was recorded from forms and the ongoing protests. He the laws on hold, an offer iterated as protests by Opposition members , operating from faraway, and Indian territory. "The mother However, emergency services, Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor pointed out how the protesters by no less than the Prime Minister demanding a separate discussion four autonomous unmanned aer- ship can be LCA or Jaguar or such as casualty, labour room and district Thursday in resorted to violence at Red Fort on of India," it said. on the three contentious farm ial vehicle known as CATS other combat manned aircraft," intensive care units will be ex- which four members of a India's Republic Day on January The ministry said, "Yet, it is laws created uproar, leading to Warrior with a capacity to carry Chatterjee said. empted from the strike. family, two women and their 26, undermining the country's unfortunate to see vested interest repeated adjournments of the out strike stealthily entering 700 The CATS Hunter attached to The members of the associa- two daughters, drowned to law and order and the tricolour. groups trying to enforce their House. kilometres inside enemy territory. the mother-ship, which has a tion said they have begun a relay death in a pond. These unmanned aerial vehicles deep penetration straight way hunger strike from Thursday and are capable of autonomous func- strike capability, can go deep will organise a candle march BACKLOG IN OBC tions and will also have all the ma- into the enemy territory and Friday evening in the civil Nirav’s sister GOLDEN HOUR noeuvring capabilities. carry out strikes. At present, the lines area. VACANCIES "We are developing the project CATS Alpha is a glider and has They also handed over a mem- moves court where the manned aircraft will capabilities to carry four, eight, orandum against the notification Mumbai: Fugitive diamond Government to operate within the boundary and sixteen or twenty four swarm to the deputy commissioner trader Nirav Modi's sister and the unmanned aircraft will enter drones. Alpha has can glide 50 to Gurugram. her husband Thursday the enemy zone and can carry out 100 kilometres into the enemy The association members said approached a court here begin special strikes deep inside the enemy territory and once it reaches the they will also go to the IMA head- seeking cancellation of non- territory," said Arup Chatterjee, mission zone, swarm drones quarters in Delhi on February 6 bailable warrants (NBWs) recruitment drive Director (Engineering and R&D) comes out. and 7 against the against them in the Punjab government move. National Bank (PNB) fraud INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE case. Purvi Modi, Nirav Modi's younger sister, is a New Delhi, Feb 4: The Central gov- Belgian national while her ernment is planning to start a spe- husband Maiank Mehta is a cial recruitment drive in its all ‘Chinese actions disturbed peace’ British citizen. ministries, departments, public sector banks, financial PRESS TRUST OF INDIA sides also agreed that pending final engagement with China is "com- institutions as well as public sec- settlement of the boundary ques- plex". "In the last few years, the two 9-yr-old sexually tor undertakings under it to fill New Delhi, Feb 4: The Chinese mil- tion, maintenance of peace and sides have agreed to manage their backlog OBC vacancies. itary's attempts to unilaterally alter tranquillity in the border areas is differences and not allow differ- abused, killed The Department of Personnel the status quo along the Line of an essential basis for the overall de- ences on any issue to become dis- Kolkata: The body of a nine- and Training (DoPT), which mon- Actual Control (LAC) in eastern velopment of the bilateral rela- putes, " he said. year-old girl was recovered itors the progress in filling up of Ladakh have seriously disturbed tionship. In addition, he said, the two sides Thursday from the staircase backlog reserved vacancies for peace and tranquillity in the re- "However, since April/May 2020 also agree that the future direc- of a residential building in the Scheduled Castes (SCs), gion, the government said in Rajya the Chinese side undertook sev- tion of ties should be built upon mu- the city's Jorabagan area, Scheduled Tribes Sabha on Thursday. eral attempts to unilaterally alter tual respect for each other's de- sparking protests by locals, (STs) and Other Backward Classes Minister of State for External the status quo along the LAC in velopmental aspirations bearing who claimed that the "police (OBCs), in these ministries and Affairs V Muraleedharan said the western sector.These attempts have in mind the importance of re- did not take action when the departments under Central gov- attempts have been responded to been responded to appropriately by specting each other's sensitivities, family had reported that she ernment, has given an instruction "appropriately" by the Indian armed our armed forces," Muraleedharan concerns and aspirations. was missing". The girl, who to its officials to begin the drive. forces and it has been made clear said. "It has also been made clear On the eastern Ladakh stand- was found lying in a pool of Union Minister of State to the Chinese side that such uni- to the Chinese side that such uni- off, he said:"Over the last several blood on the staircase that (Independent Charge) Development lateral attempts are "unaccept- lateral attempts are unacceptable. months, we have been engaged led to the terrace of the of North Eastern Region able". In a written response to a These actions have seriously dis- with the Chinese side through multi-storey building, was (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, question on the overall boundary turbed the peace and tranquillity diplomatic and military channels "first sexually abused and then killed", a senior police Public Grievances, Pensions, issue with China, the minister said along the LAC in the western sec- to ensure complete disengagement officer said. Atomic Energy and Space, Jitendra the two sides have agreed to seek tor," he said. from all friction points and full Singh informed the Rajya Sabha a fair, reasonable and mutually ac- The government often refers to restoration of peace and tran- in a written reply to a question PTI PHOTO ceptable solution through dialogue eastern Ladakh as western sector. quillity in the India-China border Missing minor Thursday. Youngsters riding bicycles are silhouetted against a setting Sun in Nadia and negotiations. He said the two The minister also said that India's areas. girl found dead Kolkata: A nine-year-old girl was found dead with a slit ‘Heritage trees more beneficial than construction of rly over bridges’ throat under mysterious circumstance in Kolkata's A HERITAGE TREE IS A LARGE TREE WHOSE VALUE IS CONSIDERED IRREPLACEABLE. THESE TREES TAKE DECADES AND CENTURIES TO MATURE Jorabagan Thursday morning, sparking tension PRESS TRUST OF INDIA micro-nutrients, compost and bio- implementing a project of national widening project which require in the area. After police fertiliser. It said that if all costs are importance environmental impact cutting of trees so that there is min- found the partly clothed New Delhi, Feb 4: The 300 her- added and multiplied by the re- assessment is desired and this has imum damage to the environment. body bearing multiple itage trees that are to be chopped for maining age of a tree, in the pres- not been done in West Bengal. The The observation came while hear- injury marks from a rooftop the construction of five railway in the neighbourhood, ent case 100 years, the grand total committee said that state authori- ing a plea related to felling of over senior police officers led by over bridges in West Bengal are would be Rs 74,500 per tree year. ties are considering project under 350 trees for the construction of city Joint Commissioner of valued at Rs 220 crore in terms of "This means that 300 trees if al- consideration as an independent railway over bridges (ROB) and Police (Crime) Murlidhar oxygen and other products they lowed to live for a period of 100 or project which is affecting a distance widening of National Highway-112 Sharma visited the spot. offer which means a living tree will more years, will give products worth of 59.2 km only from Barasat to on the Indo-Bangladesh border in be more beneficial than the project, Rs 220 crore. This is the future value Bongaon. "According to a circular West Bengal. an expert committee has told the of 300 trees. If the entire stretch of issued by MoEF, if a road project has The bench has now posted the Supreme Court. 59.2-kilometre road is taken in into a length less than 100 km, in that matter for hearing February 18. y Mob attacks cops A heritage tree is a large tree consideration, which will become Representative image case, there is no need to get EIA The apex court had earlier formed

that takes decades or centuries to congested in a period of a decade or from any government agency. Such a committee of environment ex-

k y m Thane: Three policemen c were injured when a mob mature. The committee of experts so, authorities will be forced to environmental catastrophe a solu- Centre to build 208 rail over- and an argument, in the present case, is perts to suggest an alternative to attacked them and freed a told a bench headed by Chief Justice widen its width and on this count tion out of routine framework is under-bridges across 19 states in an attempt to circumvent the law of felling of over 350 trees for con- man accused of chain S A Bobde that a heritage tree serves 4,056 trees will be required to be need of the hour," the committee said the country with a sanctioned cost the land. Noting the submissions, struction of railway over bridges snatching in Ambivali town the civil society and the environment cut down. "In that case, the cost of in its report. The five proposed of Rs 20,800 crore. the top court observed that it would (ROB) and widening of National of Maharashtra's Thane district and its valuation can be reached products over a period of 100 years bridges are part of a “Setu Bharatam The five-member committee in- consider laying down a protocol to Highway-112 along the Indo- Thursday, an official said. on various counts including oxygen, will be Rs 3,021 crore. So to avoid this Mega Project” financed by the formed the apex court that before be followed for projects like road Bangladesh border in West Bengal. The central government has P9 passed a law in the Cabinet to MERCURY RISES IN KASHMIR FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 5 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR snatch power of Delhi’s The minimum temperature in Srinagar elected government and give it to settled above the freezing point for the Centre-appointed Lieutenant Governor. first time in over a month as the The BJP wants to govern Delhi through mercury rose at most places in Kashmir backdoor as people chose not to elect Thursday, providing relief to the them in three consecutive elections y residents, even as the valley national MANISH SISODIA | DELHI DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER

experienced fresh snowfall, officials said

k y m c

of the day uote Pakistan-based hackers

The NDA 21.5% of population may have had nCoV government behind Airtel data leak was committed to farmer welfare, it AGENCIES INDIA FASTEST NATION IN is committed to VACCINATING 4MN PEOPLE farmer welfare and New Delhi, Feb 4: Over 21 per INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE will remain cent of the population, aged 10 n the 19 days since the beginning of committed to farmer welfare years and above, showed evidence I the country's Covid-19 vaccination New Delhi, Feb 4: The recent data of past exposure to COVID-19 in drive, India has inoculated nearly 4.5 mil- leak of at least 26 lakh Airtel users JYOTIRADITYA SCINDIA | the ICMR's latest national sero- lion (44,49,552) of its population, the from Jammu and Kashmir was the SENIOR BJP MEMBER survey, the government said on Ministry of Health and Family Welfare handiwork of Pakistan-based hack- Thursday, noting that a large pro- said on Thursday. The ministry officials ers, who created new accounts to I appeal to the portion of people are still vulner- also claimed that India has become the put data in the public forum and sell people to take able to the infection. fastest country in the world to achieve them for $3500 in Bitcoin, a secu- part in the the 4 million milestone in just 18 days. As 'Switch Delhi’ The Indian Council of Medical rity expert said Thursday. count was also deleted later. Research (ICMR) third national per the data, the United States, Israel The hackers, who go by the name "TeamLeets, which is a Pakistan- campaign to promote and the United Kingdom followed India replacement of serosurvey was conducted between of 'TeamLeets' and are possibly op- based hacking group, is behind the December 7 last year and January in its feat of immunising 4 million of its erating from Pakistan, initially Airtel data leak," independent cyber polluting petrol and population. In comparison to India, the 8. Presenting the findings of the dumped the data on a link and even security researcher Rajshekhar diesel vehicles with electric vehicles US took 20 days, while Israel and the UK and make contribution towards a survey, ICMR Director General Dr took 39 days each. threatened to leak more Airtel data Rajaharia told IANS when contacted. pollution-free Delhi Balram Bhargava said 21.4 per cent via a new Twitter handle that goes "They first dumped the data on of the 28,589 people, aged 18 years reported any new case of COVID- by the name of 'Red Rabbit Teams'. a domain in December last year, ARVIND KEJRIWAL | DELHI CHIEF MINISTER and above, surveyed during the pe- per cent), Bhargava said, adding districts in 21 states selected during 19 and 251 districts have not regis- The new Twitter account, how- which was removed. TeamLeets riod showed evidence of past ex- that 23.4 per cent of individuals the first and second rounds of the tered any new deaths in the last ever, has been restricted by the mi- then created a couple of Twitter ac- No other party posure to the coronavirus infec- above 60 years of age had suffered national serosurvey. three weeks. So far, 49,93,427 bene- croblogging site for "unusual activ- counts to further push its agenda. can take our tion. While 25.3 per cent of children from COVID-19. Blood samples of On the coronavirus situation in ficiaries have been vaccinated in the ity". TeamLeets then created another It is possible that Red Rabbit Teams place since aged 10 to 17 years from the same 7,171 healthcare workers were also the country, the health ministry country out of which 11 states and Twitter handle that goes by the name and TeamLeets are two sides of the TMC has number of surveyed population collected during the same period and said India's COVID-19 cumulative Union Territories, including Tamil of 'PANAMA-iii (Scandal and Mega the same coin or are working to- provided the most have had the disease, he said. the seroprevalence was found to positivity rate is 5.42 per cent and Nadu, Assam, Ladakh, Chandigarh, Database)', which tweeted fresh links gether," Rajaharia added. The people-friendly Urban slums (31.7 per cent) and be 25.7 per cent, the ICMR director to another subset of data from the orig- Pakistan-based hackers had access government in the declining. The weekly positivity Meghalaya and Manipur, have cov- world urban non-slums (26.2 per cent) general said. rate (last week) was recorded at ered 30 per cent or less healthcare inal sample of 26 lakh J&K users, to the data and wanted to sell them had a higher SARS-CoV-2 preva- The survey was conducted in 1.82 per cent, it said. workers through the COVID-19 vac- which may belong to the people from but could not succeed. Hence, they MAMATA BANERJEE | WEST BENGAL CM lence than those in rural areas (19.1 the same 700 villages or wards in 70 It said that 47 districts have not cination, it said. the Indian Army. This particular ac- dumped the data on the internet. SHORT TAKES 7,139 Indian prisoners CHILLING OUT Maha Assembly Speaker resigns lodged in foreign jails Mumbai: Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Nana F. PRESS TRUST OF INDIA vailing in many countries, the local Patole resigned from his post authorities do not share informa- here Thursday. He submitted New Delhi, Feb 4: A total of 7,139 tion on prisoners unless the person his resignation to Deputy Indian prisoners, including under- concerned consents to the disclo- Speaker Narhari S. Zhirwal, trials, are lodged in various jails sure of such details. after a tenure of nearly 14 around the world, the Ministry of "Even countries which share in- months in the august post. External Affairs said on Thursday formation do not generally pro- The development comes Saudi Arabia has the highest vide detailed information about ahead of 58-year-old Patole's number of 1,599 Indian prisoners, the foreign nationals imprisoned," likely appointment as the followed by the United Arab he said. Muraleedharan said Indian new President of the Emirates with 898 and Nepal hav- missions and posts abroad remain Maharashtra Pradesh ing 886 inmates, according to in- vigilant and closely monitor inci- Congress Committee, formation provided by Minister of dents of Indian nationals being according to party sources. State for External Affairs V put in jail for alleged violation of Muraleedharan in Rajya Sabha. local laws. "Missions and posts also "As per the information available maintain a local panel of lawyers 11 tribal girls with the ministry, the number of where Indian community is in siz- rescued Indian prisoners in foreign jails able numbers," he added. as December 31, 2020, is 7,139, which According to the details provided Agartala: Tripura police have also includes undertrials," he said by the minister, 548 Indians are lan- rescued 11 tribal girls, responding to a question. He said guishing in jails in Malaysia and 536 suspected to be trafficked, due to strong privacy laws pre- are lodged in Kuwaiti prisons. and detained a man in this

connection, officials said Tourists visit Solang valley after a fresh spell of snowfall, in Manali PTI PHOTO Thursday. Police added that they were brought to Agartala from tribal refugee camps in northern Tripura. ‘Restricted’ According to a police officer, the rescued tribal girls are Delhi sisters claim ownership now at the NGO Child Line's military study home, who had helped the police in their rescue of mosque land in Ayodhya materials seized operation of these girls, two of whom are 18-years-old and INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERICE others below 18 years of age. INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE Chandra Punjabi had come to peal was filed before the Settlement India during partition in 1947 from Officer of Consolidation, Sadar, Ayodhya/Lucknow, Feb 4: Based Lucknow, Feb 4: Two Delhi-based Punjab and settled in Faizabad Ayodhya, but without consider- on specific inputs from the Military Convict hangs sisters have moved the Lucknow (now Ayodhya) district. They have ing the said petition, the author- Intelligence (MI), a team of RS by-polls in Guj, Assam March 1 bench of the Allahabad High claimed that their father was al- ities have allotted five-acre of their Ayodhya Police has recovered a self to death Court, claiming the ownership of lotted 28-acre land in the 28-acre land to the Waqf Board large volume of 'restricted' military PRESS TRUST OF INDIA of Patel and Bhardwaj were to end the five-acre land allotted to the Dhannipur village by the Nazul for the constructing of mosque, the study materials, mostly digital in Bareilly (UP): A convict, who in August 2023 and June 2026, re- Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Department for five years which petitioners said. The petitioners nature, from a civilian shopkeeper had fled from the prison but New Delhi, Feb 4: Rajya Sabha by- spectively. One Rajya Sabha seat in Board for the construction of a he continued to possess beyond that have demanded the authorities in Faizabad Cantonment of the was caught later and kept in polls to three seats in Gujarat and Assam fell vacant after lone Bodo mosque in Ayodhya, in accordance period. be restrained from transferring the temple town. a temporary jail for the Covid test, allegedly committed Assam, including the one which People's Front MP Biswajit Daimary with the Supreme Court verdict in However, his name was struck land to the Sunni Waqf Board till Official sources told IANS that suicide, an official said. "Nar fell vacant due to the death of sen- resigned from the upper house in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri down from the records after which the pendency of dispute before in January this year, the Lucknow- Pal alias Sonu, 44, had ior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, November last year. Masjid case. their father filed an appeal before the settlement officer. The state gov- based MI unit got some credible in- escaped from the central jail will be held March 1, the Election His term was to end in April, The petition was filed before the Additional Commissioner, ernment has allotted five-acre puts that some restricted military here Monday after scaling Commission said Thursday. 2026. The notification for the bypolls the Lucknow bench of Allahabad Ayodhya, which was allowed. The land to the Sunni Waqf Board in study materials were in posses- the wall. He was, however, Two Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat will be issued February 11 and the High Court Wednesday and is petitioners further claimed that the the Dhannipur village for the con- sion of few shopkeepers in caught by the Bijnore police fell vacant late last year, following election would be held March 1. likely to come up for hearing consolidation officer again re- struction of mosque in compli- Faizabad Cantonment. on Tuesday and was kept in a the deaths of Ahmed Patel and The counting of votes will take February 8. Rani Kapoor a.k.a moved their father's name from the ance with the Supreme Court di- The input was developed and temporary jail for the Covid- Abhay Bhardwaj (BJP). While Patel place March 1 evening. Rani Baluja and Rama Rani records during the consolidation rective issued in November 2019 subsequently shared with the local 19 test,” Prison Additional died November 25 last year, As per procedure, counting for Punjabi have said in the writ pe- proceedings. Against the order of in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri police and the central intelligence Director General (Prison) Bhardwaj passed away December Rajya Sabha elections is held on the tition that their father Gyan the consolidation officer, an ap- mosque title suit. agencies and jointly pursued as Avinash Chandra said. 1 last year. The Rajya Sabha terms day polls take place. 'Operation Dastavez'. Two shops were identified as suspected unauthorised holders of 'restricted' military study mate- rials in Sadar Bazar area in After battling Covid, hosps to draw focus back on cancer Faizabad Cantonment. On Wednesday, a team of Ayodhya Police led by Sub- AGENCIES early screening among the people," Inspector Sandeep Kumar Tripathy, he stated. Lok Nayak was recently WORLD CANCER DAY CHEMOTHERAPY UPS COVID INFECTION RISK under the supervision of Inspector New Delhi, Feb 4: The Covid-19 pan- delisted from the dedicated Covid (SHO, Cantonment Police Station) demic has taken a toll on timely hospital list by the Delhi govern- ccording to experts, immunity plays a strong role in coping with Suresh Pandey and following the diagnosis and treatment of chronic ment. It had served as a key Covid such viruses or diseases as it produces antibodies to kill directions of DIG Deepak Kumar, diseases, and preventive care for care centre since the pandemic Apathogens. "Chemotherapy process decreases the immunity level raided the two shops in Sadar ailments like cancer is one of the struck the national capital. of the patient by lowering white blood cells count. And with low white Bazar area. worst hit. Jagat Ram, Director, Post blood cells count severe infection can affect the patient more severely In the raid, Arif Hussain (36), the However, since the cases of Covid- Graduate Institute of Medical and add to the challenges," Deni Gupta, Senior Consultant, Medical owner of a shop called 'Aarif Oncology, Narayana Hospital Gurugram, told IANS on the occasion of 19 have started to subside gradually, Education & Research (PGIMER), Stationery', was found in posses- World Cancer Day that is observed February 4. Astudy, presented at the the need for awareness among the Chandigarh, told IANS that its de- European Society for Medical Oncology Virtual Congress 2020, analysed sion of a large volume of 'restricted' patients has multiplied. In lieu of it, partments are coordinating to raise 3,600 patients from 122 institutions and found that 30-day mortality was military study materials stored in the hospitals have geared up to start cancer awareness in the hospital. highest among the cancer patients treated one to three months prior to four pen-drives and laptop. awareness campaigns to draw pa- "Dietetics, community medicine Covid-19 diagnosis and was highest for those treated with a Apart from that, printed docu- tients' attention back on cancer and radiotherapy departments of chemotherapy/immunotherapy combination. Patients with active ments/books prepared using those treatment. Suresh Kumar, Director our hospital have put up posters early diagnosis of cancer, leading of them did not come for regular haematologic or lung malignancies, peri-Covid-19 lymphopenia, or contents were also recovered from at Delhi's Lok Nayak Hospital, told besides having dialogues with dif- to a burden in the disease. He also screening, check-up and treatment, baseline neutropenia may have the worse Covid-19 outcomes. The his shop. IANS that the hospital will start ferent groups of people. We have also cautioned that the burden of Stage their disease has progressed to the experts also stressed that cancer patients should follow all the Covid-19 Sources said Arif Hussain since y an awareness campaign specifi- joined hands with the Panjab 2 and Stage 3 cancer is set to see a advanced stage,” Sharma explained. protocols and should never leave the treatment in between as it can long has been gathering digital

cally for cancer patients. University in this endeavour," he spike in the coming months. “We need an assorted campaign make the disease more dangerous. copies of such study materials

k y m c "Cancer patients have now started said. Manish Sharma, Medical “The patients have been extra from the hospitals as well as from from various army personnel, to visit our centre since we are now Oncologist at Rajiv Gandhi Cancer apprehensive and skeptical of get- the government to have an upper about cancer and reduce the stigma Union of International Cancer who used to come to his shop for available to all kinds of patients. We Institute and Research Centre ting cancer care from hospitals as hand over a flood of cases in the com- that surrounds the disease which Control (UICC) and is meant to en- getting photocopy/print-outs of are going to start an awareness (RGCIRC) in Delhi, said that owing they are immunocompromised and ing months,” he suggested. Annually, is the second leading cause of death courage the prevention, detection, their study materials (both in drive to evade the fear of Covid to the fear of Covid-19, people have hence are more vulnerable to com- February 4 is observed as World globally. The World Cancer Day is diagnosis and treatment of cancer paper and digital form), without and stress on the importance of delayed preventive screenings and plications of Covid-19. Since many Cancer Day to raise awareness a ‘global uniting initiative’ led by the as early as possible. their knowledge. P10 NON-CITIZENS AREN’T FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 5 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR ALLOWED IN KUWAIT Ahead of informal UN talks on Cyprus, today I spoke to Turkish Kuwait will stop the entry of Foreign Minister Mevlut non-citizens to the country for a Cavusoglu and reinforced the period of two weeks in a latest need for all sides to be flexible effort to curb the spread of Covid-19, a govt spokesman said

international DOMINIC RAAB | FOREIGN SECRETARY, UK

k y m c of the day uote US encourages talks between farmers, Rather than Indian government introducing Kremlin doesn’t flinch the guidelines unilaterally, we should make the Russian authorities say arrests at protests against the jailing of Navalny were a ‘necessary response’ AGENCIES virus prevention rules along with the AGENCIES thorized protests. rest — without access to the in- Washington, Feb 4: Recognising public “The situation wasn’t provoked ternet — for two months as part of that peaceful protests are a hall- Moscow, Feb 4: The Kremlin said by law enforcement, it was pro- a criminal probe into alleged vio- mark of a thriving democracy, the CHUNG SYE-KYUN | PRIME MINISTER, Thursday that thousands of ar- voked by participants in unsanc- lations of coronavirus restrictions US said that it encourages dia- SOUTH KOREA rests at protests against the jail- tioned actions,” Peskov said in a call during protests. logue between the protesting ing of opposition leader Alexei with reporters. Thursday, Sobol was formally farmers and the Indian govern- Navalny were a necessary response Massive protests erupted after charged with the incitement of vi- ment to resolve their differences. The to the unsanctioned rallies and Navalny, a 44-year-old anti-cor- olation of sanitary regulations by Thousands of farmers, mainly Parliament strongly rebuffed Western ruption campaigner who is Putin’s organizing protests. from Punjab and Haryana, have must decide in criticism. most determined political foe, was Protests have spread across been camping at several Delhi coming days how to Asked about the harsh treatment arrested Jan. 17 upon returning Russia’s 11 time zones over the past border points since November finance continuing of thousands of detainees, many of from his five-month convalescence two weekends, drawing tens of last year, demanding the gov- measures to soften whom spent long hours on police in Germany from a nerve agent thousands in the largest show of dis- ernment to repeal the three farm the impact of the buses and were put in overcrowded poisoning, which he has blamed laws and legal guarantee of min- coronavirus pandemic. We will have content with Putin’s rule in years. to decide very concretely on how cells, Russian President Vladimir on the Kremlin. Russian authori- In a no-holds-barred response imum support price (MSP) for we deal with the new challenges Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, ties deny any involvement and to the protest, police arrested over their crops. said that they have to bear re- claim they have no proof that he was 10,000 protest participants across The State Department, re- OLAF SCHOLZ | FINANCE MINISTER, GERMANY sponsibility for joining the unau- poisoned despite tests by several Russia and beat scores, according sponding to a question on the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny shows a heart symbol standing in to the OVD-Info group monitoring ongoing farmers’ protests in the cage during a hearing to a motion from the Russian prison service to arrests. Many detainees had to India, said Wednesday that the US No matter convert the suspended sentence of Navalny from the 2014 criminal spend hours on police buses after encourages that any differences who was conviction into a real prison term in the Moscow City Court in Moscow, Russia between the parties be resolved involved, I detention facilities in Moscow and St. Petersburg quickly ran out of through dialogue. want the ministry to The check facts firmly European labs. Petersburg. space and later were cramped into Indicating that the new Biden and make a A Moscow court situation wasn’t Following cells intended to accommodate far administration is supportive of response based Tuesday ordered provoked by law Navalny’s ar- fewer inmates. the Indian government’s move to on rules Navalny to prison enforcement, it was rest, authori- One detainee, Almir Shamasov, reform the agricultural sector for two years and provoked by participants in ties also have who spent 10 days at a detention fa- that attracts private investment YOSHIHIDE SUGA | PRIME MINISTER, JAPAN eight months, find- unsanctioned actions moved swiftly cility in Sakharovo outside Moscow, and greater market access to ing that he violated DMITRY PESKOV | PRESIDENT to silence and said he spent 20 hours in a police farmers, a State Department the terms of his pro- VLADIMIR PUTIN’S SPOKESMAN isolate his allies. van suffering from engine fumes spokesperson said: “In general, SHORT TAKES bation while recu- Last week, a or shivering cold when it was the United States welcomes steps perating in Germany, a Moscow court cut off. that would improve the efficiency ruling that caused interna- put his brother, Oleg, top “While we were driving, stay- of India’s markets and attract Trump’s helipad People clash with police during a protest against the jailing of opposition leader tional outrage and triggered new associate Lyubov Sobol, and several ing, the whole day passed,” he said greater private sector to be demolished Alexei Navalny in Moscow, Russia protests in Moscow and St. other key allies under house ar- after being freed late Wednesday. investment.” Miami: A helipad at former US President Donald Trump’s 200 people held during Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida’s LET IT SNOW Palm Beach town built for general strike in Nepal Myanmar blocks FB use during his time in office, will soon be demolished, AGENCIES according to a media report. The report published Kathmandu, Feb 4: Over 200 peo- as resistance grows Wednesday by the Palm ple were arrested Thursday for Beach Daily News said that their involvement in arson and AGENCIES “a permit was pulled on vandalism during a general strike Tuesday for demolition of the called by the Nepal Communist Yangon, Feb 4: Myanmar’s new town’s sole helipad” at the Party’s splinter faction-led by military government blocked access resort to which Trump moved Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ to Facebook as resistance to to on the morning of January that paralysed normal life across Monday’s coup surged amid calls 20 ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration as the 46th the country. for civil disobedience to protest President of the US. The strike was called by the ousting of the elected govern- Prachanda-led faction to oppose the ment and its leader, Aung San appointment of office bearers and Suu Kyi. members of various constitutional Facebook is especially popular Shehbaz Sharif bodies by Prime Minister KP in Myanmar and is how most peo- Men flash a three-finger salute of returns to jail Sharma Oli-led caretaker ple access the internet. protest against military coup in Yangon, government. Major markets, ed- The military seized power shortly Myanmar Lahore: Shehbaz Sharif, ucational institutions, offices and before a new session of Parliament Pakistan’s Leader of factories were shut down while was to convene Monday and de- “This violates the human rights Opposition in the National transport services were disrupted tained Suu Kyi and other top of the whole citizenry. This is not Assembly, Thursday returned during the strike. The government politicians. a coup. This is treason against the to the Kot Lakpat jail in had mobilised at least 5,000 secu- It said it acted because the gov- government. I will have to say that Lahore after visiting a rity personnel in Kathmandu Valley. Sledders enjoy the snow during a storm in the Brooklyn borough of New York City REUTERS ernment had refused to address this is state treason,” said Khin hospital as his health its complaints that last November’s Soe Soe Kyi, a member of Suu Kyi’s deteriorated earlier in the day. Strict security general election, in which Suu National League for Democracy arrangements were made and Kyi’s party won a landslide vic- party. a heavy contingent of police tory, was marred by widespread The military declared a one-year has been deployed in and US House passes budget resolution voting irregularities. The state state of emergency and put all state around the hospital, reports Election Commission has refuted powers into the hands of the junta, The Express Tribune. It was the allegations. including legislative functions. It reported that Sharif would AGENCIES House Budget Committee Chair THE DEMOCRATS- About 70 recently elected law- said that at the end of that period undergo positron emission John Yarmuth said in a statement. CONTROLLED HOUSE makers defied the new military it will call an election and turn tomography (PET) scan and Washington, Feb 4: The US House “The American people cannot PASSED THE BUDGET government Thursday by conven- over power to the winner. other medical tests. After of Representatives approved wait, and Congress cannot slow RESOLUTION ing a symbolic meeting of the Anti-coup graffiti appeared in receiving the reports of medical Wednesday a budget resolution that down our response to these urgent WEDNESDAY NIGHT Parliament that was prevented Yangon, the country’s biggest city, tests, he was discharged and would allow Congress to pass crises while Republicans decide if BY A VOTE OF from opening. They signed their with the slogan “Don’t want dic- sent back to jail. President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion they want to help or not,” Yarmuth 218-212 oaths of office at a government tatorship”’ scrawled on a wall on Covid-19 relief package without said. The Senate is expected to ap- guesthouse in the capital, a busy street. NO REPUBLICANS Republican support. prove the budget resolution later this Naypyitaw, where about 400 of them In Mandalay, a city known for its SUPPORTED THE nCoV kills 303 The Democrats-controlled House week. MEASURE were detained in the aftermath of activist politics, a spirited protest passed the budget resolution Then both chambers will need to the takeover. They have since been by about 20 people in front of the Indonesian docs Wednesday night by a vote of 218- approve a budget reconciliation told they can return to their home University of Medicine was broken Jakarta: At least 303 doctors 212, with no Republicans support- package that includes the Covid- The package includes over $400 the Senate is 50-50 now, with Vice districts. The unofficial conven- up by police. Three were arrested. have died due to the Covid-19 ing the measure, reports Xinhua 19 relief deal, according to local billion to combat the pandemic di- President Kamala Harris having ing was a symbolic gesture to as- Medical personnel have declared pandemic in Indonesia, news agency. media. rectly such as more funding for the power to cast the tie-breaking sert that they, not the military, are they won’t work for the military gov- according to authorities “While bipartisan talks continue, Using budget reconciliation, testing and vaccine distribution; vote to give Democrats the major- the country’s legitimate ernment. Health workers are highly Thursday. In a statement, the today’s passage of the 2021 budget Democrats could push the relief roughly $1 trillion in direct relief to ity. “I think the President has been lawmakers. respected for their work during Indonesia Medical resolution ensures that we have package through the Senate with a households; and over $400 billion for clear there is an urgency to deliv- Some expressed their anger and the coronavirus pandemic that is Association said that among another path to enacting President simple majority, rather than the 60 hard-hit small businesses and com- ering relief to the American people,” their determination to resist the taxing the country’s dangerously the 303 victims, 169 were Biden’s ‘American Rescue Plan’,” votes needed for most legislations. munities. The party breakdown in White House Press Secretary said. coup as they left the guesthouse. inadequate health system. general practitioners, 129 specialists, and five resident doctors, reports Xinhua news agency. The oldest doctors who died of the disease were aged between 81 and 85 ‘Not like every time’: Beirut blast victims want truth years-old, and the number stands at six. The youngest THE SKEPTICISM IS JUSTIFIED; LEBANON, A COUNTRY WROUGHT BY POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND ASSASSINATIONS, HAS A HISTORY OF UNFINISHED PROSECUTIONS were aged between 28 and 30, and the number stands at 11. January 2021 is the month AGENCIES valries that thwarted past attempts rent prime minister with negli- the blast, said in reference to politi- with the highest fatality of to uncover the truth in major crimes. gence, triggering pushback. cians. “This should not be like every doctors due to the pandemic. Beirut, Feb 4: Days after a massive What started as an investigation The prime minister refused to time.” explosion ripped through Beirut’s into how nearly 3,000 tons of am- appear for questioning, calling it “di- Lebanon’s sectarian-based po- port and disfigured the Lebanese cap- monium nitrate, a highly explosive abolic” to single him out for charges. litical factions have had a lock on ital, family members of some of fertilizer component, were stored in The ministers challenged the judge power in the country for decades and No demonetisation the 211 people killed in the blast Beirut port for years with politi- and asked Lebanon’s highest court have divvied up posts across the in Myanmar: Govt demanded an international probe. cians’ and security agencies’ knowl- to replace him in a move that state among themselves. Though It was a swift vote of no confidence edge has taken a turn, wading into brought the probe to a halt since Dec. rivals, they have a common inter- Yangon: Myanmar’s State in the authorities’ ability to inves- a web of murky international busi- 17. The interior minister said he est in preventing accountability. Administration Council has tigate one of the largest non-nu- ness interests in the explosives won’t ask security forces to imple- Structural problems undermine announced that the citizens clear explosions in history and one trade and global shipping. ment arrest warrants targeting po- the judiciary. The government and can continue the use of 5,000 of the nation’s most traumatic ex- Government officials rebuffed litical figures. the president name judges, allowing and 10,000 kyat notes, while periences. denying rumours of an international probe and ap- In early January, the Court of political factions to install loyalists demonitisation of banknotes. The skepticism was justified. pointed former military court judge Cassation ruled that Sawwan can as rewards. Prosecutors stall, pre- In a statement Wednesday, Lebanon, a country wrought by po- Fadi Sawwan to investigate. He has resume his investigation while it re- venting cases from reaching courts.

litical violence and assassinations, largely focused on government in- views calls to replace him, keep- The government also holds enor-

k y m the Council said that rumours c and fake news were spread in has a history of unfinished prose- competence amid public anger at a ing the possibility hanging over A damaged closed shop with Arabic graffiti written by protesters reads: “You mous sway over the five-member social media about the cutions and buried secrets. corrupt political class blamed for the probe. literally blew us up. We shall live to kill you,” in Beirut, Lebanon Judicial Council, a special court demonetisation of 5,000 and Six months after the Aug. 4 blast, Lebanon’s slide into poverty and Yet Sawwan has not resumed where it refers security and polit- 10,000 kyat notes published the domestic investigation has been upheaval. work, raising concerns among vic- Dozens of family members gath- “We want to know if they are ical crimes. Decisions by the gov- by the state officially, reports brought to a virtual halt by the In a rare move, Sawwan charged tims’ families that he may have ered outside his house Monday, urg- not letting him,” Kayan Tleis, whose ernment-appointed judges can’t be Xinhua news agency. same political and confessional ri- two former ministers and the cur- caved to pressure. ing him to restart the probe. 40-year-old-brother was killed in appealed. As we grow our RECORD RUN MAINTAINED P11 presence and FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 5 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR Equity indices defied gravity for the fourth expand, this fresh round of straight session to close at fresh lifetime funds will help us focus on highs Thursday as FMCG and banking our core value propositions counters saw robust demand amid - a robust platform with the encouraging quarterly earnings. best features for gamers Participants shrugged off weak Asian cues SAI SRINIVAS | business CO FOUNDER AND CEO MPL and kept accumulating stocks ahead of

- ,

k y m RBI's policy decision Friday, traders said. c of the day uote Ultratech Cement to raise `3,000 crore Reliance sells Pennsylvania shale asset Cognizant Q4 income down 20 per cent New Delhi: Ultratech Cement’s New Delhi: Billionaire Mukesh New Delhi: IT major Cognizant board has approved a proposal Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd has reported about 20 per cent I’m happy to raise up to `3,000 crore through has sold its stake in the shale gas drop in net income to USD 316 welcome issuance of US dollar- asset in the US to Northern Oil and million (around `2,303.2 crore) Bikram Singh denominated bonds. “The Gas Inc for USD 250 million, the for the December quarter. The Bedi to lead our finance committee... Approved firm said Thursday. "Reliance US-based company, which India business. With raising funds by way of issuance Marcellus, LLC (RMLLC) a wholly- posted a net income of USD 395 a proven track of foreign currency (USD) owned subsidiary of Reliance million in the December 2019 record of building denominated bonds (Notes) Industries Limited (RIL), quarter, said it is seeing a and growing successful enterprise aggregating up to USD 400 announced the signing of strengthening in demand businesses, his experience will be million, corresponding to `3,000 crore, to be offered and sold within agreements to divest all of its interest in certain upstream assets in environment. For the fourth quarter of 2020, Cognizant's revenue an asset to the team the United States to qualified institutional buyers... In one or more the Marcellus shale play of southwestern Pennsylvania," a company declined 2.3 per cent to USD 4.18 billion from USD 4.28 billion in KARAN BAJWA | tranches," the company said in a late evening regulatory filing statement said. These assets, which are currently operated by various the year-ago period. "Fourth-quarter revenue was USD 4.2 billion, VP, GOOGLE CLOUD IN ASIA PACIFIC Wednesday. Ultratech Cement said the proceeds from the issuance affiliates of EQT Corporation, have been agreed to be sold to Northern a decline of 3 per cent year-over-year in constant currency," will be used to refinance existing rupee debt, with the remainder Oil and Gas, Inc, a Delaware corporation, for USD 250 million cash and Cognizant Chief Executive Officer Brian Humphries said in an reserved for regular ongoing capital expenditure requirements and warrants that give entitlement to purchase 3.25 million common investor call. Cognizant - which has about 2 lakh employees based We are excited general corporate purposes. shares of Northern Oil and Gas (NOG). in India - follows January-December as financial year. to resume our BIZ BUZZ (twice) weekly flight from Delhi to Moscow under the air bubble agreement. These Govt blocked 296 flights are a positive step forward ` after COVID-19 lockdowns and Bad Bank to absorb 2L cr NPAs restrictions

ANDREI ALIMOV | AGENCIES GENERAL MANAGER FOR INDIA, AEROFLOT LENDING RE-BOOT apps since 2014 New Delhi, Feb 4: India's growth ACCORDING TO THE RBI'S BI- is set to further accelerate on PRESS TRUST OF INDIA ANNUAL FINANCIAL STABILITY Every the back of the path breaking REPORT (FSR), BANK NPAS MAY partnership plan to set up a 'Bad Bank', which RISE TO AS HIGH AS 14.8 PER CENT New Delhi, Feb 4: As many as ` counts as we is expected to absorb 2 lakh IN ONE YEAR IN CASE OF A SEVERE 296 mobile apps have been blocked work towards this crore worth of non-performing as- STRESS SCENARIO by the government since 2014 in goal by leveraging sets (NPA). the interest of the country's sov- CyberSmart. After Accordingly, the process is ex- THE RBI'S STRESS TEST COVERS ereignty, security, and public order, partnering with pected to clean up banks' books and THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE Union minister Sanjay Dhotre told multiple state governments, we are allow them to lend more freely. CURRENT FISCAL ENDED MARCH Rajya Sabha Thursday. now proud to partner with the According to the Finance AND PROJECTS A BASELINE A total of 296 mobile applica- Hyderabad City Security Ministry's Chief Economic Advisor SCENARIO OF GROSS NPAS tions have been blocked by gov- We had received KESHAV R. MURUGESH | GROUP CEO, WNS Krishnamurthy Venkata (GNPAS) AT 13.5 PER CENT ernment since 2014, under the pro- several reports about Subramanian, the crucial reform visions of section 69A of IT Act misuse of some measure in the sector will pave the banking sector would be relieved by 2000 and its rules... In the interest Chinese mobile apps SHORT TAKES way for a stronger banking sector. a significant margin. of sovereignty & integrity of India, available on Android and iOS In a conversation with IANS, The Monday, Finance Minister security of the State and public platforms he said the Budget proposal on Budget proposal Nirmala Sitharaman proposed cre- order, Dhotre, Minister of State SANJAY DHOTRE I UNION MINISTER Mahindra recalls 'Bad Bank' is really critical for the assets have already been covered. on 'Bad Bank' is really ation of an Asset Reconstruction for Electronics and IT, said in a sound health of the financial sec- With 'Bad Bank' coming into the critical for the sound Company and Asset Management written reply. 1,577 Thar units tor as it would clean up the balance picture, banks would not only get health of the financial sector Company to consolidate and take The minister also said the in device, etc and real-time activ- New Delhi: Utility vehicles sheets of banks while also giving higher realisation for bad assets as it would clean up the over the existing stressed debt and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) ity surreptitiously to servers lo- major Mahindra & Mahindra them opportunity to raise addi- but also free up their capital that balance sheets of banks while then manage and dispose of the -- the requesting agency for block- cated outside India. (M&M) Thursday said it is tional capital from the market to could also help in augmenting cap- also giving them opportunity assets to Alternate Investment ing of these apps under section This has serious repercussions recalling 1,577 units of its step up lending. ital by tapping market with share to raise additional capital Funds and other potential investors 69A of the IT Act -- had received sev- in light of national security and cur- SUV Thar with diesel "...in excess of `2 lakh crore of bad offering. for eventual value realisation. eral reports about misuse of some rent tense border situation, he KV SUBRAMANIAN I powertrain to replace faulty assets are actually likely to be trans- According to the RBI's bi-annual CEA The proposal was made by Chinese mobile apps available on noted. camshaft, an engine part. ferred to the bad bank," he told financial stability report (FSR), Sitharaman in the Union Budget Android and iOS platforms. Usage of these apps by a large The Mumbai-based auto IANS. bank NPAs may rise to as high as the cur- FY22. He said several reports had been number of people in India enables major said it would The CEA said that with banks pro- 14.8 per cent in one year in case of rent fiscal ended March and proj- A 'Bad Bank' buys non-per- received about some of these apps compilation of huge data that can undertake proactive visioning for bad assets rising to 85 a severe stress scenario, from 7.5 per ects a baseline scenario of gross forming loans of scheduled lenders being misused for ... For stealing and be collated, analysed, profiled and inspection and replacement per cent against 15 per cent for bad cent as of September 2020 or close NPAs (GNPAs) at 13.5 per cent. at the current market price. It is con- transmitting user data such as fi- mined by elements who are hostile of camshaft on a batch of assets, a lot of hit that banks would to `7.5-8 lakh crore. The RBI's stress So, even if the bad bank picks up sidered vital to a robust banking nancial data, permission for ac- to the sovereignty and integrity of 1,577 units of Thar diesel have otherwise taken in these toxic test covers the first six months of an `2 lakh crore tab, the stress in the ecosystem. cessing of all possible data available India, Dhotre said. variants, manufactured between September 7 and December 25, 2020. Govt sticks to $5 trn Ropeways, mobility ‘Sebi ban will Bank officials decry divestment solutions under not affect deal’ target, says DEA Secy POST NEWS NETWORK Highways Ministry New Delhi: Future Retail Ltd Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: Four offi- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA has said that SEBI's one-year cers’ organisations representing ban on its Chairperson PRESS TRUST OF INDIA the entire fraternity of officers in New Delhi, Feb 4: Ropeways, Kishore Biyani and some the banking industry AIBOC, cable cars and innovative mobil- other promoters from the New Delhi, Feb 4: The govern- AIBOA, INBOC and NOBO deplored ity solutions like funicular railways securities market will have ` ment is sticking to the target of and resolutely opposed the pro- have been brought under the ambit "no impact" on the 24,713 becoming a USD 5 trillion econ- posal of privatisation of two pub- of Ministry of Road Transport crore-deal with Reliance. omy by 2024-25 and emphasis on in- lic sector banks and one general and Highways, Union Minister Further, Kishore Biyani, some frastructure sector and other ini- insurance company, announced Nitin Gadkari said Thursday. other promoters and Future Corporate Resources Pvt Ltd tiatives taken in Budget 2021-22 are during recent budget. The move will give a big fil- (FCRPL) plan to appeal aimed at achieving the goal, General Secretary of AIBOC lip to infrastructure building against the order passed by Economic Affairs Secretary Tarun Soumya Datta, General Secretary in remote, inaccessible areas Securities and Exchange Bajaj has said. of AIBOA Nagarajan S, General and hilly terrains of the coun- Board of India (SEBI) on The Budget presented by Finance to `5.54 lakh crore while on the Secretary of INBOC Prem Kumar try, the Road Transport, Wednesday. The SEBI order Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on health sector it has risen to `2.23 Makker and General Secretary of Highways and MSMEs Minister “has taken care to exclude Monday has given a big push to lakh crore from `94,000 crore in NOBO Viraj Tikekar condemned the is retrograde and inimical to na- interest. Any step towards pri- Gakdari told PTI. dealings in securities under infrastructure spending, moneti- the Budget Estimate for 2020-21. proposal of sale of public sector tional interest, Datta said. vatisation, dilution of govern- Ropeway, cable car, funicular any impending Scheme of sation of assets, ramping up of ca- Prime Minister Narendra Modi banks, insurance companies and The four officers’ organisations ment equity and/or further merg- railway, public transport on elec- Arrangement.” pacities in healthcare sector and in 2019 envisioned making India CPSE’s and urged upon the cen- have decided to launch an all-out re- ers and amalgamation of PSBs tricity etc have come under the agriculture sector, among others. a USD 5 trillion economy and a tral government to roll back the sistance to the attempt of selling na- would face stiff resistance, not Ministry of Road Transport and These initiatives are aimed at re- global economic powerhouse by strategic disinvestment plan. tional assets with all major stake- only from our organisations but Highways. This will give a big GAIL bifurcation viving the economy ravaged by the 2024-25. With this, India would “The proposal for sale of public holders if the proposal is not also from all the major stake- impetus to infrastructure build- COVID-19 pandemic. become the third largest econ- sector enterprises in pursuance withdrawn. The all India strike holders. We urge upon your good ing in inaccessible terrains, the plan put on hold “We have not revised the target. omy in the world. of strategic disinvestment is to will be declared soon. office to kindly rescind any such Minister said. New Delhi: The Oil Ministry We are pushing for it. The various Although the Indian economy prepare the ground for the corpo- Moreover, the associations also privatisation proposal, if on the Apart from last mile connec- has put on hold a plan to initiatives of the government in- is estimated to contract by 7.7 per rates and foreign companies to sent a request letter to union fi- anvil, not only for the PSBs but for tivity for remote locations, it will bifurcate state-owned gas cluding emphasis on infrastruc- cent during the current fiscal, it is take control of the public sector nance minister addressing the con- all the PSUs. The Union reduce congestions on mainstream utility GAIL (India) Ltd so as ture are targeting towards achiev- projected to record a growth rate space. In the era of ‘Bank Nirbhar sequences of privatization. Government should rather initi- roads, the Minister said. not to dilute the firm's ability ing that goal,” Bajaj told PTI in an of over 11 per cent in 2021-22. Bharat’, where all the schemes of “We consider that any proposal ate policy discussion on the ways The move will result in setting to finance the massive interview. China is next with 8.1 per cent the government are being imple- for privatisation of PSBs is ret- and means of reforming and up of world-class ropeways in the infrastructure building plan, The spending on infrastructure growth in 2021 followed by Spain (5.9 mented by the Public Sector Banks, rograde, ill-conceived and thor- strengthening the PSBs,” men- country with emphasis on quality a top official said Thursday. has gone up from ` 4.12 lakh crore per cent) and France (5.5 per cent). the proposal to privatise two PSBs oughly inimical to the national tioned in the letter. and safety. GAIL is India's biggest natural gas marketing and trading firm and owns 60 per cent of the country's 26,284- HDFC launches km gas pipeline network, giving it a stranglehold on LIC IPO to lend sparkle to markets this Diwali new term plan the market. ON THE SIZE OF THE LIC OFFER, PANDEY SAID THAT THE AMOUNT OF SHARES TO BE OFFERED IN THE INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING (IPO) WOULD DEPEND ON THE EMBEDDED VALUE AND THE SIZE POST NEWS NETWORK Tata Steel ties Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: HDFC Life INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE amendment required for the IPO has even asked them to be the owners Currently, the government to- launched its latest flagship term up with FarEye already been included as part of (shareholders)." tally owns LIC and its valuation is product ‘Click 2 Protect Life’. The Mumbai: Tata Steel BSL has New Delhi, Feb 4: The much-an- the Finance Bill, 2021 and will be- Pandey said that Amendment expected to be in the range of `8-10 non-linked, non-participating, in- tied-up with software ticipated IPO of public sector insurer come effective once Parliament Act reserves 10 per cent of the total lakh crore. Once LIC enters the dividual term plan has been de- logistics firm FarEye to help Life Insurance Corp of India (LIC) gives its nod to the Union Budget. shares on the block for policy-hold- stock market, it may be the largest signed to cater to the changing the steel maker in its digital may well lend more sparkle to the Presenting the Union Budget ers. Regarding the requirement of IPO in Indian history, even if just needs in the different life stages of transformation process. A Indian stock markets this Diwali. Monday, Finance Minister Nirmala listed public sector companies to 5 per cent of its paid-up equity cap- an individual. predictive logistics SaaS Speaking to IANS, Disinvestment Sitharaman said that all the an- achieve minimum public share- ital is offered to the public. HDFC Life’s Click 2 Protect Life (software-as-a-service) Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey nounced disinvestment proposals holding of 25 per cent, he said that The top five IPOs in India so far offers three main options such as platform, FarEye's intelligent noted the fact that LIC is a com- including the LIC IPO would be a new rule is in the making for are Coal India, Reliance Power, life & critical illness auto-balance, logistics platform enables plex undertaking but the govern- completed this fiscal. She had first large PSUs having high valuations. General Insurance Corporation of life protect option and income enterprises to orchestrate, ment is up to the challenge and will made the mega announcement of A rule notified in 2018 had man- India (GIC Re), ONGC and SBI Cards plus option. Life & critical illness track, and optimise their complete the market offering post the IPO in the last year's budget. dated every listed PSU, which has and Payment Services. Each of auto-balance option provides pro- logistics operations, October. On the size of the LIC offer, public shareholding below 25 per these has been in the vicinity of tection against critical illness (CI) according to a company

"It may happen after October... Pandey said that the amount of cent, to increase its public share- `10,000 crore. and death by auto balancing life

k y m release. By embracing c around Diwali," Pandey said in the and CI cover with increasing age. FarEye's platform Tata Steel shares to be offered in the initial pub- holding to at least 25 per cent, within The Secretary for the Department BSL is also driving interview. lic offering (IPO) would depend on a period of two years from the date of Investment and Public Asset Life protect option provides fi- automated delivery He added that the government has the embedded value and the size. The of that notification -- August 3, 2018. Management (DIPAM) also said nancial protection to the fam- workflows including already initiated its plan to clear all valuation process is underway for The government has however ex- that the government's core focus ily of the life assured by pro- automatic order allocation, incumbrances on way of LIC IPO. the insurance giant. people have trusted and we don't tended the time period for compli- in terms of disinvestment will be viding coverage against death the company said. In this regard, he said that the "This is an institution in which want to break their trust. We have ance to the norm till August 2021. strategic sale. during the policy term. P12 FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 5 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR sports

Tests played by Joe Wins for India against Tests were played at the Matches have been played at the Root as Chepauk England in Tests at Chepauk, with India Chepauk since 2000, with India Test will be his home, compared to winning 5, England 3 winning 5 and 3 ended in draws. y 99 100th appearance in 19 England’s 13 in 60 9 and the 1982 game 8 The last time India lost here was

the longest format of the game matches as 28 ended in draws ended in a draw in 1999 against Pakistan

k k y y m m c c

I think walking out for the first time in Rishabh will start and take the England shirt probably (has) been the gloves. The reason was basically to proudest moment. I look back on walking out Head-to-head in India Highest total have someone similar to (Ravindra) to bat and seeing Kevin Pietersen still at other Jadeja’s skills as to what they provide end, someone who I watched as a teenager (records since 2000) INDIA: 759/7d (Chennai; 2016) to the team which Axar (Patel) brings and as a kid growing up and I just couldn’t SERIES RESULTS in all three departments of the game. stop smiling as I was living my childhood ENGLAND: 537 (Rajkot; 2016) We are looking forward to giving them dream. I just couldn’t stop smiling. I look YEAR WINNERS TESTS MARGIN (Rohit-Gill opening pair) all four Tests around the field and (MS) Dhoni is behind the and give us good starts. Jassi (Bumrah) stumps, Sachin Tendulkar is on the field as 2016-17 India 5 4-0 will be keen to start in home well, who I think made his debut 2012-13 England 4 2-1 conditions. Along with Ishant, before I was even born! It was a Siraj, all of them bowling so really strange, surreal week 2008-09 India 2 1-0 Lowest totals well, it’s exciting to know really, and something I will that you have so many always remember fondly. 2005-06 Draw 3 1-1 INDIA: 100 (Mumbai; 2006) options —JOE ROOT —VIRAT KOHLI 2001-02 India 3 1-0 ENGLAND: 158 (Vizag; 2016)

ENGLAND SQUAD INDIA SQUAD Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Joe Root (C), Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Ollie Pope, Dan Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishab Pant (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wk), Ben Foakes Jasiprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Jofra Archer, James Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Hardik Anderson, Stuart Broad, Dominic Bess, Jack Leach & Pandya, Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha (wk) Olly Stone. BACK IN BACKYARD & Shardul Thakur. Kohli’s India set to rely on present, England bank on deep Root-ed history as the first Test starts today

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA as they aim to win at least two Test matches or more during the series Chennai, Feb 4: A dream took PRE-MATCH STATEMENTS in order to clinch a face-off against flight during an unforgettable VIRAT KOHLI New Zealand in the WTC final at the Australian summer and a confi- Lord’s. On Pant: Rishabh Pant will start (in the first Test). He is in good dent India will aim to soar higher headspace and he has come along very nicely. He is working hard on all Jasprit Bumrah will also be mak- with the return of Virat Kohli aspects of the game. ing a different kind of debut – his against Joe Root’s England during first Test at home since his debut a four-Test series starting Friday On Rahane: Me and Jinks (Rahane), we have always enjoyed batting with against South Africa in 2018. with both sides bidding to qualify each other. It’s quite evident on the field that we share mutual respect. Ishant Sharma, in his last Test ap- He is always been someone who has had the capability and capacity to for the World Test Championship pearance nearly a year back claimed give inputs at different stages. I go and discuss a lot of things with him (WTC) final. to get more clarity and perspective other than me focussing on team a five wicket haul at the Basin International cricket returns to plans. That’s how we work together. Reserve but hasn’t played a red ball India after a year-long COVID-19 game ever since due to injury and break and it couldn’t have been big- JOE ROOT COVID-19 induced break. ger than a series against a world-class But Mohammed Siraj’s gutsy per- On Pujara: He (Pujara) is a fantastic player. I had (the) pleasure of side which is led by a modern day playing alongside him only a couple of games at Yorkshire. Having formance Down Under can't be for- great in Root. played against him as well and being at the wrong end of him, making gotten in a hurry and it will be one Root would be playing his 100th some huge scores and been out there for long periods of time, you know of the toughest calls for Kohli and Test match and the team also fea- you learn from those kinds of innings. And you have seen his importance, coach Ravi Shastri in recent times tures the most respected new ball the value that he adds to the Indian team, he is going to be a huge when they decide between Siraj attack in contemporary cricket be- wicket for us, no doubt about that. and Ishant. The logic in favour of sides having the game’s best all- On Ashwin: I won’t look to dominate or defend but just try and play the Ishant is that he was out due to in- format all-rounder. ball that is delivered. He has got a great record in India and is probably jury and now gets his rightful place And in the middle of all this will full of confidence for that series. You know, I have played against him back as the man who is just three be the awe-inspiring presence of before and scored some runs and he has got the better of me a couple of short of 100 Test matches. Kohli, fresh from a paternity break, times and it will be a little battle. The contest that you want to get the But then a form player always leading a side which would be ex- better off. has an advantage and Siraj, over the pected to present another enthralling years in first-class cricket, has toiled show after a miracle come-from be- a triumph like Australia. The Indian batsmen are likely hard on unresponsive wickets. hind series win in Australia. So, after batting on firm, even to enjoy an upper-hand against the India are likely to play three spin- But in England, they face a team bouncy Australian tracks, it’s time England slow bowlers as save Moeen ners and Axar Patel, who has al- that in the last 15 years, is the only for them to adjust to the red soil Ali, the other two – off-spinner Dom ways been dubbed as ‘poor man’s one to have won a Test series (2012) traditional Chennai pitch which Bess and left-arm spinner Jack Ravindra Jadeja’, is in contention in the sub-continent. will have bounce on the first day and Leach – haven’t had the experience to get his maiden Test cap. In Root they have a player, who start helping the spinners from the of bowling against a formidable The choice could well be between knows a thing or two about how to third day. Indian batting line-up. Washington Sundar, who had a tackle spinners on sub-continental One might find Cheteshwar Against the old ball, one might see great debut in Brisbane in un- turners as he showed during the Pujara shedding his combative ‘take India unleashing Rishabh Pant, favourable conditions, and Patel. just-concluded Sri Lanka series. tience and Shubman Gill’s tech- ridor of uncertainty for the Indian ball reverses a bit. body blows’ style to a slightly more who on his day can murder any Ravichandran Ashwin picks him- James Anderson, the world’s nique using the pronounced seam captain. Jofra Archer would like India will be wanting to guard attacking one on a track where the bowling line-up. self while Kuldeep Yadav, being a highest wicket-taking seam bowler, of the red SG Test while preparing to use the bouncer sparingly and Ben themselves against the compla- ball won’t be consistently flying However, it is the bowling com- wrist spinner, is an attacking option will again test Rohit Sharma’s pa- a tough set of questions in the cor- Stokes wouldn’t mind if the old cency that can always creep in after above the waist level. bination that will be key for India that skipper Kohli would fancy. Dicka goals help Gallego spot-kicks Real Kashmir hit Barca rally past Granada; enter Copa semis Arrows for a six ASSOCIATED PRESS save NEUFC’s day Madrid, Feb 4: Down by two goals with two minutes left, Barcelona fi- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA nally showed the character of a champion again. Lionel Messi helped FEDERICO GALLEGO (C) Kalyani (WB), Feb 4: Real set up two late goals to force extra time, Kashmir FC got back to winning and Barcelona went on to beat ways in grand fashion, inflicting Granada 5-3 Wednesday to reach the a 6-0 drubbing on Indian Arrows Copa del Rey semifinals — giving fans in an utterly lopsided I-League hope that the club won’t go two match here on Thursday, the result straight seasons without a trophy. propelling the Snow Leopards into Barcelona trailed 0-2 going into second place in the standings. the 88th minute before Messi helped RKFC scored through Dipanda create goals for Antoine Griezmann Dicka (42nd, 74th), Lukman and Jordi Alba as the Catalan club Ademeni (51st), Haroon Amiri kept alive their chance of ending (61st), Chesterpoul Lyngdoh (80th) their title drought. and Danish Farooq (86th). There were more swings in extra Coming into the match on the time as Griezmann’s firm header in back of two successive draws, Real the 100th minute put Barcelona Antoine Griezmann scores Barcelona’s Kashmir FC showed their swiftness ahead, but a penalty committed by first goal against Granada, Wednesday in the field of play before trounc- American defender Sergino Dest ing their opponents by an em- led to Fede Vico’s equalizer for the been enduring political turmoil third-division club Cornella in the breakaway in the 47th, outrunning barrassing margin. hosts three minutes later. since last season. round of 32. It also played extra Umtiti to a long pass from the back. AGENCIES header put the Gaurs back in front. Giving their fans something to Frenkie de Jong put Barcelona Barcelona failed to win a title last time in both Spanish Super Cup Francisco Trincao and Ousmane It looked like this would be cheer about, RKFC’s Haroon Amiri, ahead for good from close range season, which hadn’t happened since matches this year — a win against Dembele both struck the crossbar Goa, Feb 4: Federico Gallego enough to see FC Goa bag all three Lukam Adefemi and Dicka dom- after Messi’s shot was saved in the 2007-2008. They were eliminated in Real Sociedad in the semifinals and in the second half before Griezmann struck two spot-kicks to help points. That was not to be as three inated the match with their skills. 108th. Alba closed the scoring with the quarterfinals of the Copa last year a loss to Athletic Bilbao in the final. pulled the Catalan club closer with NorthEast United FC (NEUFC) minutes later, Ivan Gonzalez Most of Real Kashmir’s chances a beautiful volley from Griezmann’s to end a streak of nine consecutive Robert Kenedy opened the scor- an angled shot from a long pass by steal a point from FC Goa in their brought down Ashutosh Mehta in- kept coming in from long balls pass in the 113th. semifinal appearances. ing for the hosts from close range in Messi in the 88th. Indian Super League (ISL) en- side the box to award the and corners. The victory came on the heels of Granada’s late collapse cost the the 33rd after a blunder by Barcelona Messi again found Griezmann counter, Thursday. Highlanders their second spot-kick It was a clinical performance by the embarrassing leak of Messi’s team a chance to make it to the defender Samuel Umtiti, who mis- inside the area with a well-placed Both sides gave it their all but 90 of the game. Real Kashmir in the second half multimillion-dollar contract Sunday, semifinals for a second straight played a ball inside the area. Former pass, and the French striker set up minutes was just enough time for Once again it was Gallego who as the David Robertson-coached the latest mess involving the club season. Barcelona had already Real Madrid forward Roberto Alba’s late equalizer two minutes the sides to be separated. A draw stepped up to take the penalty. side scored five goals in that period. which is mired in debt and has needed extra time to advance past Soldado, 35, added to the lead on a into stoppage time. was a fair result as both sides did Dheeraj Singh this time guessed it well not to lose the game. correctly and got his hand to the ball The Gaurs opened the scoring in but the power with which Gallego the 21st minute through Alexander hit it saw it squirt into the back of Liverpool lose again at home as EPL title defense collapses Jesuraj’s composed finish. The the net. Highlanders got back on level terms The Highlanders will be a bit ASSOCIATED PRESS team battling to avoid relegation. City produced another dominant four minutes before the first half as disappointed not to have taken all Jurgen Klopp’s team dropped seven display in overwhelming Burnley Alberto Noguera brought down three points as they had the better London, Feb 4: After going 68 points behind leader Manchester in a 2-0 victory at Turf Moor. Gabriel Luis Machado inside the box. chances of the two sides. A draw Premier League games unbeaten at City, who have a game in hand and Jesus and Raheem Sterling scored Gallego made no mistake from the though will not be something they Anfield, Liverpool have slumped to is on a nine-match winning streak. first-half goals as City won a 13th y spot and put his side level head- would be extremely disappointed back-to-back losses at the stadium City are the next visitors to Anfield, straight game in all competitions.

ing into the break. with. that was their impenetrable strong- Sunday. A win for Pep Guardiola’s The Reds are in fourth place but only

k k y y m m c c The second half was also an end- FC Goa would feel they should hold for nearly four years. team may effectively knock Liverpool two points ahead of fifth-place West to-end affair as both sides looked have defended well in the final 10 The latest defeat — to lowly out of the title race — with more than Ham, who won 3-1 at Aston Villa. to get their noses in front. The minutes to protect that lead but Brighton — left the champions’ title three months of the season re- Leicester moved above Liverpool Gaurs once again restored their will be pleased with the point. All- defense on the brink of collapse. maining. into third place with a 2-0 win at lead 10 minutes before regulation in-all both sides will be satisfied with Just like against Burnley two weeks Seeking to regain the title it re- Fulham thanks to goal by Kelechi 90. Substitute, Amarjit Singh’s a point. ago, Liverpool were beaten 0-1 by a linquished to Liverpool last season, Iheanacho and James Justin.

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