+ , RNI Regn. No. MPENG/2004/13703, Regd. No. L-2/BPLON/41/2006-2008 +*,%+&#-./01 #(-(#-. /#0122 3(34 (5&2' . /:16,'7 4,773 /"74:+;': //1/6 +":;7 4 ,1 34:/4: 1-: 3: ,1 "/7 ',7 ', '/:-4 %,%%,:14-% 3;1-1+ 74%/% 4/ ,141 4 ,/3164, % , /1 :N=+-61.%O?%4 + 3:,43 / ,;3:4'3D1 ;3 (%7.0 ++9# @AB C - : ' ' 20 23.45 .261.783 ! " !# $% &% % '( % ) !! " #$ % & "/7 4+ 45674", 48 9 police officials said. “The accused persons have itting out at rioters, who ays after Chief Minister been asked to reach police sta- Hdamaged Government R DYogi Adityanath vowed to tion through notice to clear and private property during avenge the destruction of pub- their stand by Thursday. In case protest against Citizenship lic property during anti- they failed to appear, their Amendment Act (CAA) Citizenship Act protest in Uttar property may be attached,” CO recently, Prime Minister Pradesh, the Government set (Kotwali) VP Singh said. Narendra Modi said they up a Special Investigation Team On Wednesday, a team of should introspect whether the (SIT) to probe cases of rioting district administration visited method they adopted to protest registered in Kanpur, while violence hit areas — Reti, was right the Rampur district adminis- Nakhas and Ghantaghar — “They should ask them- tration served notices on 28 and assessed the loss which selves was it right to damage people to pay up 14 lakh for have been caused to public property. What they damaged damages. property during violence. was it not use for their family Additional SP (Crime) Anti-CAA protesters on members too. Have they spared Rajesh Yadav will head the Saturday set Yatimkhana police a thought about those who SIT which will also consist of post on fire and indulged in were injured in the violence or Circle Officer (Anwarganj), intense brick-batting. Two per- to what will happen to families Station House Officer Police Station and another with sons had died in Friday’s clash- who lost their near and dears,” (Kakadevi), SHO (Barra), a Babupurwa police station — es here between the protesters Modi said by way of question- police Sub-Inspector and a have been transferred to the and police and another suc- ing while addressing a gather- prosecution officer. SIT. cumbed to injuries at a hospi- ing after unveiling the statue of More than 300 people have The SIT would be better ! " tal on Sunday. Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Lok been served recovery notices equipped to deal with the elec- Meanewhile, internet ser- Bhawan in Lucknow on across UP for damaging pub- tronic gadgets to track down penalty are an embroidery A 22-year-old man died of during Citizen Amendment vices, which had been sus- Wednesday. ! # # lic property. The Lucknow dis- the culprits, especially because worker and a hawker. Both a bullet injury in Rampur on Act (CAA) protest in pended here last week amid Modi also laid the foun- trict administration has served social media and WhatsApp have been arrested for violence Saturday during violent Gorakhpur on Friday. Police widespread violent protest dation stone for Atal Bihari $ % notices to 100 people till now. were used to bring the alleged during protests on December 2. protests against the amended said FIRs against 1,000 uniden- against the changes in citizen- Vajpayee Medical University # & ' In Meerut, 141 people have rioters together, said an official. “Notices have been issued Citizenship Act. Several locals tified persons have also been ship law and the proposed cre- in the State Capital. It was for- ) ! " been blamed for damages. In The team would be given to 28 people who have been and policemen were injured, registered. Police have pasted ation of a National Register of mer PM’s 95 th anniversary Sambhal notices issued to 26 access to all data from areas identified for violence during and six vehicles, including a pictures of people involved in Citizens, were restored on today. The PM said people The PM further said good whereas in Nehtaur town of under the jurisdiction of police the protests. They have been police motorcycle, were violence and announced that Wednesday, an official said. should realise that rights and governance for our Bijnor, notices have been issued stations where the clashes given seven days’ time to torched, according to officials. the informers will be awarded. “Internet services have duties go hand in hand. Government mean that every- to 43 rioters. occurred, Senior SP Kanpur respond why action should So far 33 people have been So far 26 people have been resumed in Lucknow,” District “Every citizen of the country one should be heard, facilities The SIT was constituted Anant Deo Tewari said. not be taken against them, arrested and more than 150 sent to jail and several others Magistrate Abhishek Prakash has the right to better public should reach every citizen, following the directives of the In Rampur, the police had failing which, proceedings will identified in connection with have been picked up on the told PTI on Wednesday. facilities but it is also their every Indian should get an Uttar Pradesh Director General initially said the damage be initiated to recover money the violence in Rampur, the basis of photos released by Internet services in the duty to protect them. By opportunity, security should be of Police (DGP) for conducting incurred was worth around from them for destruction of police said. police. state capital were suspended on indulging in experienced by every person a fair probe into the cases of 15 lakh but the final assess- public and private property,” Gorakhpur police too has Notices are being served to Thursday night after violent violence after believing in and accessibility should be violence. As many as four cases ment put the figure at 25 lakh. District Magistrate Rampur sent notice to 33 people those offenders who have either protests against the amended rumors, they are only harm- ensured in every system of — three with Beckonganj Among those asked to pay Aunjaneya Singh told PTI. allegedly involved in violence fled homes or are untraceable, Citizenship Bill. ing themselves,” said Modi. government.
& '" ( ) * ' /:3: ,1 5° Celsius over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, West UP, ven as December is turning Jammu, Bihar and by 1-2° Eout to be the coldest in the Celsius over Punjab, Rajasthan ! last 22 years, the India and risen by 2-3° Celsius over " # $ Meteorological Department East UP during the past 24 (IMD) says the worst is yet to hours. P come, warning that the Punjab, IMD officials say Kashmir !" Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, is currently under the grip of # #%& % Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, ‘Chillai-Kalan’ — the 40-day & Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, harshest period of winter when ' # Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & the chances of snowfall are L # Kashmir and Bihar are expect- most frequent and maximum M ed to experience cold wave and the temperature drops con- K L # M$ conditions over the next 3-4 siderably. “Chillai-Kalan’ began % days. on December 21 and ends on ++#,+ IMD says over the next January 31, but the cold wave -#. + three-four days the mercury is continues even after / - % likely to drop to 4 degrees that. # ) ! + - 1 Celsius and the weather con- $ ditions will also impact south- ern India, but to a certain ' extent. ' ' According to IMD, due to # #%& + low level cloud cover the winds /:3: ,1 national Capital has registered ment in the air quality on / + would continue to blow from nine cold days, equal to that Wednesday. The overall air '- northwest direction, following t was a chilly Christmas for recorded in 2003. The city quality index was recorded at which cold day conditions Ithe people of the national recorded the maximum of 17 350 at 4 pm, down from 383 on # would intensify and to prevail Capital with the minimum cold days in December 1997. Tuesday. over northern parts of India till temperature settling at 6 According to Kuldeep The Government’s air qual- December 29. Just like maxi- degrees Celsius, said the Srivastava, head of the India ity monitoring and forecasting # mums, night temperatures too weather department on Meteorological Department’s service SAFAR said an extend- $ have been hitting lower degrees Wednesday. The city witnessed (IMD) regional forecasting ed period of calm surface winds for the last many days now,” it moderate to dense fog in the centre, a “cold day” is when the with high humidity is predict- said. morning. The maximum tem- maximum temperature is at ed December 27 onwards, ' “The weather conditions perature settled at 12.7 degrees least 4.5 notches below the which will have an adverse (%)* ' + are suitable for dense to very Celsius, nine notches below normal. effect on the air quality. - 2 dense fog in these regions normal, officials said. A “severe cold day” is when According to IMD, maxi- 2 2,#-& which will result in poor visi- They said a cold wave is the maximum temperature is at mum temperature recorded at # bility levels during early morn- likely to hit Delhi as the mer- least 6.5 degrees Celsius below Safdarjung observatory was ing hours,” the IMD said. cury is expected to drop to 4 the normal, he said. 12.7 degrees, nine degrees ! # # ! # $ % *+, , ' 3 , As per the IMD data, the degrees Celsius on the week- Meanwhile, moderate wind below to '$ ' ) . /0 + 1+ temperatures have fallen by 3- end. Since December 16, the speed led to a slight improve- normal. ! " $ " #$% & " " 3 New Delhi: The CBI has regis- ly conspiring to cause losses to ',7 hours in North and North districts. tered a case against then CEO of the Authority by way of pur- West Madhya Pradesh. Severe cold day conditions Yamuna Expressway Industrial chasing 57.15 hectare in seven ntense cold conditions Few regions witnessed were witnessed at Gwalior and Development Authority, PC villages of Mathura above the Igripped the State and State light rainfall in the past 24 cold day conditions were wit- Gupta, then Tehsildar Suresh prescribed rates for a Capital on Wednesday. hours. Damoh and Katni nessed at Guna and Nowgong. Chandra Sharma and 19 consideration of 85.49 crore. Rainfall, foggy conditions and recorded 2 cm of rainfall while The forecast claims that Rewa, private individuals for alleged- SR cold day conditions have made Sagar recorded 1 cm of rainfall. Sagar, Hoshangabad, Jabalpur the weather extremely unbear- State Capital witnessed and Bhopal districts would able. The State Capital wit- intense cold conditions record- witness light rainfall in the next nessed severe cold conditions ing day temperature at 19.8 24 hours. during the day and hazy con- degree Celsius. The night tem- Met department has issued ditions prevailed in the perature was recorded at 14 warning of shallow to medium evening. degree Celsius. fog in Gwalior, Chambal, Met official said that mois- Sagar, Gwalior, Shahdol, Sagar, Rewa, Ujjain and Bhopal ture incursion from Bay of Bhopal, Rewa and Jabalpur divisions in the next 24 hours. Bengal due to active system divisions recorded light rain- State Capital is likely to and cold winds from fall at isolated places in the past witness night temperature at 11 Himalayan region have made 24 hours. The lowest night degree Celsius while the day the weather conditions horri- temperature of the state was temperature would be record- ' 3 ble. The temperatures would ! % & ' $ ) ! recorded at 7 degree Celsius in ed around 21 degree $ ! dip sharply in the next 48 Gwalior, Shivpuri and Datia Celsius.
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O" 3 P # ',7 This project will facilitate transportation of goods pro- he State Government has duced in the State. Decision has 8 ' Tmade significant changes in been taken to provide green and infrastructure including the cheap energy to the industrial ! policy to promote industries in units through solar photovolta- " Madhya Pradesh in the last one ic power plant at the rooftop in year. Magnificent Madhya their premises. Pradesh-2019 has been suc- In its first phase, schemes ! ',7 fed the Archbishop with his cessful in increasing the confi- are being implemented in own hands. dence of investors in the State. Mandideep and Pithampur hief Minister Kamal Nath Archbishop Leo Cornelio Now the scenario of industri- Industrial Area. Creached the house of congratulated the Chief al investment has started According to the sugges- city. Archbishop Dr Leo Cornelio Minister for his good work for changing in the State. Investors tions received from investors The aim was to bring con- SVD at Koh-e-Fiza on the welfare of the State and its are moving ahead with confi- and industrial organisations, fidence in the minds of major Wednesday and wished him a citizens. dence to invest in the State. decision has been taken to pro- industrialists and industrial merry Christmas. Shobha Oza Thomas was To take advantage of the vide additional facilities to the stakeholders of the country by The Chief Minister cut also present on the facilities provided in the units by making new amend- bringing them on one plat- the cake on the occasion and occasion. Industry Promotion Policy- ments / provisions in the form. At the event, Chief 2014, it has been made manda- Industry Promotion Policy- Minister Kamal Nath interact- tory to provide 70 percent of the 2014. ed directly with industrialists, total employment provided by For continuous water sup- key stakeholders, policy makers the industries to the permanent ply to the industries established and industry experts from # 6 # 3 5 7 residents of the state. With the in Pithampur, 90 MLD water across the country. $ ) ! implementation of the GST supply scheme of Rs 290 crores On the occasion, eight the- system, the process in relation has been implemented with matic sessions were also organ- ',7 for the all round development also participate in this festival to continuous tax assistance which water supply to industries ised to encourage investment, and welfare of man by elimi- along with the Christian payable to large-scale industries has been started. Smart demonstrating the possibilities hief Minister Kamal Nath nating the disputes related to community by following the in the Industry Promotion Integrated Industrial Park has available in Madhya Pradesh. Csaid at the Christmas pro- caste, religion, language and tradition of brotherhood. Policy 2014 has been restruc- been developed in Pithampur in The State Government has gramme held at Govindpura boundaries. He said that I have been tured. 465 acre area with 300 crore allocated about 243 acres of land Church on Wednesday that The Chief Minister said taking part in this festival The new Government has in which land is being allocat- to 248 units in the industrial the whole world will remem- that similar to various reli- since childhood. implemented a land pulling ed to industries. Four textile gar- areas of the state. It is expected ber the contribution that the gious texts, the Bible is a The Chief Minister said policy for the acquisition of pri- ment parks are being set up at to generate capital investment of Christian community has book created by Lord Jesus, that this culture of harmony vate land for industrial purpos- Budhibaralai Indore, 3,793.20 crore and employ- made in connecting mankind which aims at unity among is necessary to keep our coun- es with mutual consent. Acharapura Bhopal, Lehgadua ment opportunities for about and strengthening the spirit of the entire human race and all try and the whole world unit- # 6 ' The State Government has Chhindwara and Jaora Ratlam 8,000 people. love and cooperation. people should work unitedly ed. $ ) ! decided to share 15 percent by at a cost of 169 crore 50 lakhs In large industrial projects, The Chief Minister said for the upliftment of poorest On the occasion, Chief way of equity contribution to to encourage employment ori- 57 new and expanded large scale that today the world needs sections of the society. He said Minister Kamal Nath was of the Christian community this occasion Shobha Oza connect Jawaharlal Nehru Port ented industries in the state. units have been established. In peace, brotherhood and that Christmas is a festival honoured by the Christian to give success to Kamal Nath Thomas and a large number Mumbai to Indore by railway. In Magnificent Madhya this, more than 6,187 crores mutual love. Therefore, it is which is celebrated all over community. in the work being done for the of people of Christian this, the rail project from Indore Pradesh-2019 was organized have been invested and more necessary that we adopt the the world. In our country also, Father Anil Martin welfare of the poor, farmers, Community were to Manmad will be implement- on 18 October 2019 in the than 13,000 persons have got path of Lord Jesus and work people of other communities prayed to Lord Jesus on behalf youth and every section. On present. ed. state's industrial centre, Indore employment. 4' 5 !" ## -
Tandon said that Lord Year. Father Maria Stephen ',7 Jesus has shown the whole threw light on the tradition of 3 world the path to a happy and carol singing and the outline overnor Lalji Tandon said joyful life. He has guided of the programme. Gthat the remembrance of humanity and given the mes- He said that there is a tra- Lord Jesus inspires us to walk sage of service, cooperation dition of informing about the on the path of humanity. A and peace. He said that the arrival of Lord Jesus from person is infused with new information of the arrival of house to house by carol energy and power of good Lord Jesus by carol singing on singing. ',7 showed by the different Carol thoughts, conduct and virtue. the eve of his birth has com- The message of patrio- Songs, Celebration Dances, He said that the remembrance municated a feeling of bliss. tism, justice, brotherhood, he students of Campion Plays and Western Dances etc. of Lord Jesus gives us the zeal He extended Christmas greet- equality and fraternity is TSchool, Bhopal, witnessed on this Christmas Carnival for service, equality, justice, ings and gave surprise gifts to spread through songs. a wonderful Christmas Day programme. Secondary brotherhood, feeling of joy everyone. Indira Iyengar proposed celebration in Loyola Student’s choir groups and enthusiasm to follow. At the beginning of the the vote of thanks. Priest Auditorium on Wednesday gathered and sang carols, Tandon was addressing programme, the Governor Keshav Pradan gave the mes- with full zeal and fervour. The “Jingle Bells Jingle Bells Jingle the Principal, teachers and was welcomed by Father sage of Christmas and con- programmes began with the all the way ‘O Pyari raat O students of St Mary’s Senior Sondaryaraj, Principal of St ducted the programme. lighting of the lamp by Nyari Raat’, ‘Joy to the World Secondary School and Mary’s School, Sister Mary School children presented Principal Fr Dr Athnas Lakra the Lord has come’ and ‘Feliz Christian religious leaders Conikera. carol singing programme and SJ, Vice Principal Fr Amritlal navidad’ carol songs. As the who visited the Raj Bhavan They presented the sang songs for Christmas. Toppo SJ, Fr Blacius SJ, Senior students sang the popular carol, today for carol singing on Governor with shawls, bou- Father Alexander took part as Teacher & Lecturer Mahendra “Jingle Bells”, students dressed Christmas eve. quets and cards for the New Santa Claus. Kothari along with other dig- as Santa Claus arrived on the $5!#! $ 3 ! 3 # ' nitaries. stage. Birth of Jesus was shown & 5 # $ ) . Thereafter, a beautiful in the form of a short skit along ! birthday song, wish you a Very with the melodious Christmas P Happy Birthday for Principal carols presented by children as they had zero attendance and this is done in a planned man- father sung by the students. with rhyme and rhythm depict- ',7 their parents have visited MCU ner by anti-nationals. After this, to spread a social ing the arrival of Santa Claus. to discuss the issue that stu- She met the students and Q message “More Plantation” in The participants played wo girl students of Mass dents were absent due to illness talked with them. The rector the society, “Saplings” on behalf Tablas, synthesizer, guitar, and TCommunication of but they were not allowed to Shrikant Singh spoke over the ',7 # of Flower Bouquets and violin along with vocalists. The Makhanlal Chaturvedi appear in examinations. issue with Thakur and later left # # # ! Birthday Greeting cards (made birth of Jesus Christ was shown National University of During Pragya Thakur’s the spot. overnor Lalji Tandon said ! & & from waste materials to repre- through the Beautiful Crib Journalism and visit in front of the University Thakur said that she only Gin a seminar organised on & ! sents Eco friendly); given to the Decoration by the students of Communication (MCNUJ) campus, NSUI protested shout- wanted that the students could ‘Christianity and Good principal Fr Dr Athnas Lakra the school. Christmas tree was were on Wednesday allowed to ing slogans like- “Pragya appear in the examinations as Governance’ at Raj Bhavan ! '! () SJ on his birthday by the also decorated beautifully. appear in the examination after Thakur Go-back”. they are sitting for the whole that love, affection, kindness !! * & Secondary School On this occasion, the they protested for past two After Thakur faced severe night and whatever action and compassion should reign + Captain Aryan Wadhwani Award ceremony for different days. Eearlier, they were opposition, she left the place MCU has to take it could take in the society and everyone & Asst School Captain Syed categories; (best excellence stu- banned from appearing in soon after talking to the agi- after the examinations. She should be happy, educated & Aman Arif along with all the dent in academic, academic, examinations. tating students. raised concern of their safety. and peaceful. This should be class Monitors of the school. 100% attendance etc) took Member of Parliament Before MP Thakur reached Later, the suspension was the form of good governance. Message of Jesus Christ is place. from Bhopal constituency the MCU campus National revoked and rector told them He said that the life of governance is the feeling of so high that I cannot embrace Pragya Thakur visited the agi- Students Union of India that they would be allowed to great men inspires us to bear working by taking pains for my own people, and cannot tating students on Wednesday (NSUI) activists arrived and take admission on the next with suffering ourselves but the happiness of others. The meet my own people.” , and later, they called off their started raising slogans against semester and have to appear in work for the welfare of Governor said that it has been Vajpayee’s feelings of not being agitation. Thakur. Later, Thakur inter- examinations of both semesters humanity. Humanity will have said in the Vedas that whatever hostile towards anyone, behav- Rakesh Namdev of GRP The students were banned acted with media and said that in the next semester. to follow the lives of such great is there is not ours, because we ing equally with all and fight- ',7 Colony Bhopal has been arrest- men, so that an atmosphere of came empty handed and will ing relentlessly against injus- ed who was driving the car at peace and harmony can be go empty handed. Everything tice had built up his personal- 33-year-old man died on the time of accident. created in the world. that we want in life, others also ity. ATuesday who got injured Meanwhile, a 35-year-old The Governor said that want the same. Working with The basic mantra of his after his motorbike was hit by woman who had sustained every member of society is a this sentiment is good gover- administration was equality a speeding car on their way burn injuries at Patel Nagar on creation of God. Therefore nance. and sensitivity. This is also the from Bhopal to Kurawar near December 23 succumbed to the discrimination of rich and The Governor said that basic element of good gover- a petrol pump under Parwalia injuries while undergoing treat- poor, high and low is not Mahamana Late. Madan nance. police station on November 29; ment at Hamidia hospital on appropriate. Mohan Malviya spent his Fr Maria Stephen said that police have arrested the errant Wednesday. Equality, justice, compas- whole life in the spread of the basis of the country’s devel- driver from Habibganj. The deceased, identified as sion and love are the basis of higher education by saving opment is selfless service. Post At the time of the accident, Laxmi Bai, had got injured at good governance. He said that every single rupee to free the is temporary, sense of service the deceased, identified as her house while cooking and different religions are different common man from the dark- is permanent. Human life is for Nizamuddin, along with Aslam, was rushed to a nearby hospi- paths to reach the same desti- ness of illiteracy. others. Lord Jesus Christ has was on the way to Kurawar. tal and later referred to Hamidia nation. Jesus Christ, Lord He made efforts to estab- given this message through his The car had the registration hospital where she died on Rama, Krishna, Buddha, lish equality by eliminating life. number of MP04CC5528. Wednesday. Mahavira and Mohammad educational discrimination in This is the basis of good Later, both of the injured per- In the initial investigation, Sahab all have given the mes- society, by establishing a uni- governance. Administration sons were rushed to hospital it was found that the deceased sage of peace and humanity in versity. is to work for the upliftment of where one of them died late in sustained burn injuries while their lives. He said that the personal- the poor, deprived, weaker the night on Wednesday. cooking. They made efforts to ity of former Prime Minister sections and people, for the The deceased was identi- After the preliminary inves- relieve the pain of others. Shri late Atal Bihari Vajpayee was well being of all. fied as Nizamuddin while tigation, the body was sent for Tandon said that Jesus Christ also dedicated to the welfare of Let everyone be happy, injured was identified as Aslam. the post mortem and a case himself bore suffering but others. this is good governance. He The police registered a case under section 174 of the CrPC worked for the welfare of oth- He was the first politician said that Bharat Ratna former under section 304 A of the IPC. was registered. ers. to establish the concept of Prime Minister late Atal Bihari The car is registered in the The reason of the fire could $5! ;< He himself got crucified good governance. His words Vajpayee was one such name of Ramchandra Patidar of not be ascertained and would ;< $ ) ! for the benefit of others. Good were “God do not let me go up administrator. Kalapipal while the driver be investigated. ! " # $ % S ' " (
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Q R = , -.//0-1 , ! ',7 100 so that they are apprised with the junction points, so that vis- the monitoring system. ibility remains at night and to rincipal Secretary Home SN Expressing happiness over reg- avoid the risk of accidents. He PMishra has appealed to the ular road safety committees said that the road agencies owners of tractor-trollies to meeting at the district level, he should automatically make nec- mandatorily use reflectors in directed to keep the meeting reg- essary improvements in many tractor-trolleys. He instructed ular in future also. Mishra also places including the black spots, officers to make people aware to praised about 9 lakh public which are prone to accidents, so install reflectors in tractor-trol- awareness campaigns being run that the lives of common people leys mandatorily. in urban and rural areas. He can be saved. Mishra said that the For this work, the coopera- agreed to purchase sound level retired officers of construction tion of Transport Department meters for noise pollution con- agencies should also be includ- and Panchayats must be taken. trol and speed radar gun for e- ed in field visits or their opinions He told to replace the damaged challan system. and suggestions on the causes of reflectors installed earlier. Mishra Principal Secretary Mishra accidents should be taken for gave these instructions in a said that there is need to check necessary changes. He told to &(:% - ' meeting of the State Road Safety over-speeding, speed governors work in the direction of setting EA/- 4 - Implementation Committee. in vehicles in the 20 districts up traffic and metro police com- 3 FG3 @H#FIHJ' The Principal Secretary said where the number of deaths in mand centres. It was told at the " $% - 8 - 9# that instructions have been given road accidents have increased. meeting that reflectors have - - 8- - 4/ 9# - to send the case investigation He said that every person will been installed in 1971 tractor- 83 -" 9#+ ' 8 9#7 - report of serious road accidents have to work constantly for road trollies. In comparison to the 6 8, - #" 9- 8- where more than 5 or more safety so that this can be curbed same period of last year, there has 2:- 9$% deaths have occurred, to the and lives can be saved. A dis- been a decrease of 2.5 percent in -+ % Collector and Superintendent of cussion on Accident Response road accidents in the year 2019. - % $ Police immediately. System was also held in the meet- Special Director General of SN Mishra instructed that ing. Police Mahan Bharat Sagar and ' the committee members and Principal Secretary Mishra Transport Commissioner V &(:% + " / FI1 2 nodal officers should visit the said that adequate lighting Madhu Kumar was present in 2 ; 8. 9- + based on a middle class announces 5,000 as a prize state-level call centre of DIAL- arrangements must be made at the meeting. '$, ',7 Bhatnagar family. The eldest amount. 1 member of the family ‘Babuji’ People greedy for money, $ 3 , + ighlighting the hardships Badrinath Bhatnagar some- brings duplicates and demand - $% + Hof the common man, a how goes missing and the for the prize amount. The play - comedy play ‘Baap Re Baap’ search for Babuji formed rest of created hilarious atmosphere. $, 1 was staged here on Wednesday the story, ensuing hilarious At the climax finally the real # $% at Shaheed Bhavan auditorium. events. father appears and the play 1 $% + The play marked the fourth day The curtain opens, intro- ended with comical scenario. of Ekta Hasya Nstya Sanaroh ducing the daughter-in-law of The play also highlights $ # + " / 2019. the family Meenu. She has a that people have forgotten the - FG The play was directed by habit of forgetting things. significance of relationships in $ SR Batham. Man is greedy for Moreover, she is always inter- their life. This way they have money and would do any pos- ested in clubbing and partying. become selfish. This play high- ' ' sible thing to get it. Through One day Badrinath tells her lighted all the tragic situations &(:% 4 ',: 7 D " this play the theatre buffs were that he is going out of station of an individual’s life and was $4 + # 4 : made to think about one of the for few days. Eventually, she presented creating the enter- ' K 4 : '#4D"" loop holes in the administra- forgets that his father-in-law is taining incidents. tion system of the country moving out of station to visit Audiences enjoyed the play $, - - # ‘Unemployment’. Not only this, his friend. The family comes whole heartedly. The audience 4 $ but the play also showcased under illusion that he went were mesmerised with the per- , # 4 $ that how an individual is com- missing, search now begin to formance of the artists and the % pelled to do undesired things. find him. The family advertis- hall was filled with their laugh- # $D 6 #- # The script of the play was es in the newspaper and ter. '+- #LD " : + ' + $, $, # # $M " 4 - ? # 6 P O3 $ 3 > 7 1/ #: 43 #4"3.6 ;< ;< $ ) ! : 1 # - 4 - #'#: ' 4 7 1 - % $, 4 : 'FIHG2 = HM$ ',7 3 &! -! ',7 form for talented people to ly presented songs and poetries 8" '' &(:% 4 + - 4 homeopath couple in showcase their talent before the added charisma in the evening. ABhopal has designed and o celebrate Christmas 2019, Bhopalites. The comedy Stand The musical performance by 3 + " A2 patented genetic inheritance Tan open mic session was Up was the catch of the event. young artists added much zest # prediction card (GIPC) that !! & held at The Tea Garage here on The performers gave a in the open mic. The audiences , $% # could predict whether the off- !! Wednesday. sponteneous performances. The were seen totally engrossed in spring of prospective spouses Under the open mic ses- rib tickling jokes and punches the melodious music performed # / ; $7 #+ will be affected by sickle cell sion, the youngsters of the city were much enjoyed by the audi- by the youngsters of the city. - anaemia and Thalassemia. tion.' According to her, while recited their creative and dif- ence. Other than the musical per- According to the doctors, the prevalence of sickle cell According to him, world- ferent poetries before the liter- 15 performances were held formances, some of the partic- $- # the GIPC can help the prospec- anaemia is 20 to 25 per cent in wide, over 9 million pregnant ary buffs of the city. A Stand Up on the day. There were solo ipants recited their poetries, % 3 $ tive spouses know before get- almost one-fourth of the state's women carry these diseases or Night was also held under the dance performances on short stories, Urdu shayaris and + ting married whether any of tribal-dominated districts, their trait. event. Bollywood tracks and there more. The poetries were anoth- $, them is carrying a gene and Thalassemia patients were People, mostly tribals, liv- The immense talent of were solo singing musical per- er treat for the listeners. Being trait of sickle cell anaemia and found across the state. ing in areas connecting young girls and boys of the city formances. The performers not a wondrous presentation for $ Thalassemia and whether their Dr Nisanth Nambison Madhya Pradesh, was a must watch for the audi- only presented the musical the old songs and ghazal lovers, # future child would also be said, 'With this new invention, Maharashtra, Odisha and ence. The open mic was held tracks. the show evoked a pretty good O $% affected by these diseases. the prospective couples will Gujarat, affected by the two with a purpose to provide a plat- The participants beautiful- response. ' $ As they can get to know just have to place one GIPC of disease have their medical this before marriage, the their medical history over history in these cards, he would-be spouses can decide another to instantly know added. # not to tie the knot, which will about whether their offspring The MP Government ultimately control the spread of will inherit this disease, which gives people living in the these two diseases, they said. is 100 per cent preventable.' affected areas health cards # Researchers of Bhopal- The Nambison GIP cards bear that carry their medical his- ',7 A complaint was filed help of tribals and have lodged know a complaint was lodged. based Government genetic status code in a special tory. People in the affected regarding the fraud and after several false complaints with After the confirmation the Homeopathic Medical College, colour-coded bar form that is regions of Maharashtra, % olar police has booked completion of the investigation the police. police have registered a case Prof Dr Nisanth Nambison strategically placed with special Odisha and Gujarat are also Ktwo miscreants for impli- the police have registered a Meanwhile in another a under section 420 of the IPC and his wife Dr Smita windows on it, he added. given similar cards, he added. +,7 cating a property dealer in a case under section 420, 466, property dealer in Kolar area and have started further inves- Nambison, have designed the 'The matching of the GIPC He said the Government false case and usurping his and 34 IPC. got approval of plan from T& tigation. GIPC and web apps in 11 of man and woman will has appointed genetic and t was the memorable day for land with the help of tribals. A The police have started P of 1 acre land owned by three Indian languages to eradicate instantly predict whether their marriage counsellors at some Ithe prisoners in Mhow jail as case was registered after police further investigation and have brothers without informing these two genetically trans- offspring will be affected by the places in these areas. the Madhya Pradesh United found that the claims of victim claimed that there is a possi- them; Kolar police have start- mitted diseases. two diseases or not. The According to Dr Smita Christian Association on the were correct. bility of a nexus working ed investigation. ! National Health Mission matching of the cards thus Nambison, over three lakh occasion of Christmas read holy According to the police, trapped victims having land According to the police, & MP Blood Cell Deputy comes handy in checking the babies with severe forms of prayer in the Mhow jail premis- Shashishankar Sharma was and are well to do. the Sunil Moolchandani got T Director, Dr Ruby Khan, said, spread of the disease,' he these diseases are born main- es for changing the minds of the cheated by his acquainted Sunil In his complaint, the vic- & P clearance of the land 'Nambison GIPC and web app added. ly in low and middle-income prisoners so that they can leave Yadav and his two aides tim stated that Sunil who used owned by Phool Singh and his is an excellent initiative that 'If the bride and the groom countries annually. the path of crime and follow the Bhagwan Singh and Narayan to work with his with the help two brothers. ! will nip the sickle cell anaemia get to know this before mar- Approximately five per path of truth honesty and good by providing him cheque of of Bhagwan Singh and The victim owned land and Thalassemia in the bud. riage, they may decide against cent of the world population is deeds. closed bank account, have Narayan fabricated him in adjacent to colony which is ' & The treatment of these diseases tying the knot. This way, the carrier of a trait gene for Pastor Ashish Masihi, Fr usurped land with the help of false cheque bounce case, they under-development and needs huge money, which the spread of the two diseases to haemoglobin disorders, main- Rajesh read prayer from Bible for tribals and bought property in threatened and bought his accused got approval of plan poor can't afford. A lot of the next generation will get ly sickle-cell disease or the health and wellness of the lower price by threatening and shop worth 45 lakh at 20 including 1 acre land of the vic- & work is needed in this direc- arrested,' Dr Nambison added. Thalassemia. prisoners. The other members blackmailing him. lakh, usurped his land with the tim and when victim came to present with of MPUCA were Ambrose Joseph, Jacquilene Roy, Mrs Mashi, Jailer Manoj P Chourasia told The Pioneer that Mhow jail is considered a sensi- ',7 depicted on Wednesday. behind it his wife and children, tive jail and presently, it has Shrimati Saroj Venkat Shyam animals, birds and trees, as well around 140 prisoners including he traditions and cultures of created a portrait of the people as other female Gond artists on many prisoners of severe crim- Ttribals are beautifully depict- of the Gond family living near different subjects. Based images inal record. Mhow jail has ed in paintings. In the Chitra the forests of Satpura, the hills in created. recently constructed a boundary Camp by 'Nahdora' women the Narmada River and the In this 6-day painting camp, wall of 65 lakh few rooms Gond artists, are creating Gond routines there. there will be creative participa- worth 35 lakh. A high mast paintings at Madhya Pradesh Kamali Kushmaram, the tion of 30 women who through light lamp at the centre of the jail Tribal Museum. most senior female painter their paintings will create vari- worth 10 lakh and renovations The artists are making among women artists, present- ous paintings of Gond art. All of guard room and waiting room paintings based on various ed a portrait of her entire village the women participants are has also been done one women themes of tribal culture were farm, barn, wells and houses in making paintings focused on the guard is also available. Besides, her canvas, Dadar (peacock) subject of realization of tribal with the online facility of Jail, the based on 'Karma Geet' by Mrs culture with their imagination prisoners would online appear in Champi Shyam settled her vil- and artistic skills. any judicial court of the country lage. It is said that a house can Gond paintings can best be can be organized by online be constructed on the peacock described as ‘on line work’. The SWAN facility. feather. He created a picture of artist makes sure to draw the The members of MPUCA the houses on the peacock feath- inner as well as outer lines with appreciated the neat and clean er on the theme song. Smt. as much care as possible so that atmosphere of the jail premises. Scindia Dhurve's picture of pea- the perfection of the lines has an Jailer Manoj Chourasia told that cock feeding her child with immediate effect on the viewer. the senior officers Director hard-collected food was very Lines are used in such a way that General Jail Sanjay Choudhary attractive. it conveys a sense of movement ADG Sudhir Sahi ADG Gajiram Ranjita Urveti depicted the to the still images. Dots and Meena DIG Sanjay Pandey and farmer's house in the village dashes are added to impart a Senior Superintendent Jail under Nahdora and the farmer greater sense of movement and Tomar regularly inspect Mhow taking plow to the field and increase the amount of detail. jail. !"#!$%&
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In this, he was briefed by Education" initiative of Round 6 4 64+ complaints, disposal of com- ',7 Oxford faculty on topics like Table India. plaints, finalization of com- Innovation, Leadership, Under this initiative, 6623 aryana Chief Minister plaints, daily cause list, he first international acad- Fostering Entrepreneurial classrooms are being con- HManohar Lal Khattar on reopened disposed-off cases Temic mission from Bhopal Mindset. structed at the required places Wednesday announced that and monitoring reports. ‘Web- was sent to Oxford University As part of the programme, across the country. 2020 would be observed as Helris’, which was also in a series of unique efforts by a visit to BMW's automotive These efforts of Round “Susashan Sankalp Varsh” dur- launched on Wednesday, is a Round Table India. plant was also organized for Table India were appreciated ing which suggestions and web-enabled integrated solu- This is the first of its kind delegation. by Mrs. Ruchi Ghanshyam reforms in the field of gover- tion for deed registration and and unique attempt by Area 17 On the first day of the mis- and suggested efforts to con- nance would be invited from land records management. of Round Table India. The sion, delegation delegates serve water in the midst of the people of the State. This portal provides the idea of ??this educational mis- Vinay Aggarwal, Saurabh changing climatic conditions. A dedicated website would facility related to deed regis- sion was given by Saurabh Sharma and Ritwik Garg were His suggestion was also agreed also be prepared for this pur- tration, mutation, jamabandi, Sharma, Member of Bhopal invited to the event "Indian by the members of Round pose on which the people could khasra gridawari, issuing of Round Table 257, and was Minds Global Citizens" hosted Table India. upload their suggestions and copies of record and rights and supported by Puneet by the High Commissioners On successful completion the best among all such sug- integration with internal and Madhwani, Member of Indore Office of India in UK. of the educational mission, gestions to be received on the external entities. The Survey of Round Table 297. During this, Ghanshyam, Bhopal Round Table Publicity website would be considered by India (SOI) has started imple- Under this mission, 26 former Ambassador of India to Convenor Siddharth the State Government. menting the prestigious project members of Round Table India Nigeria met with delegates. At Chaturvedi congratulated the Speaking at the State Level of large scale GIS mapping of went to England under the the same time, the delegates members of the mission and Good Governance Day entire rural, urban and abadi leadership of Area 17 also met the High further said that Bhopal Round Programme at Gurugram , deh areas. Chairman Vinay Aggarwal. Commissioner of India in the Table will continue to expand Khattar made this and several The pilot project of Sirsi Mission members attended a UK, Ruchi Ghanshyam, in all its social concerns and fur- other announcements to moti- village in district Karnal has five-day educational pro- which she was informed about ther efforts to reach the needy vate government employees to been completed for the rural gramme at the university here. the "Freedom Through people. work hard for the welfare of the and abadi deh areas and field people. The programme was verification of Sirsi work has telecast live in all 22 districts, been done, making it first vil- ",%%4-13%73;:4: : :'4%1/6%,: sub divisions, tehsils and blocks lage of the state to become ‘Lal through web cast. Dora free’. '14%,//1D:4-41:-7.7 4.74+:4 41+: Khattar also announced On this occasion, the Chief three categories of awards for Minister also inaugurated and +1/1-%:4% '1,41D ;::/3.4::37+ the outstanding employees laid the foundation stone of including three awards within three projects in Gurugram, .16,%:4+3/+7,/+ D1;$,: -7 the department, three awards including Modern Record from all offices in each district Room, Antyodaya Saral 64::%:3%,: :7 :7.%,:-%%:.74 and three at State level. In all, Kendra Wazirabad and foun- 500 awards would be given to dation stone of Antyodya ,41-%+-$ the employees in the State on Saral Kendra in Palam Vihar, December 25, 2020. Gurugram. ,:-13.14/3 47+ %3: 1D:4;7.-:4D1 :- "An arrangement of Khattar said today we are Digilocker has also been made celebrating the birth anniver- 1-677367D:4// :1/4: +//:4# where the employees could saries of our former Prime 331/6%,% :7 :: : %:3%,:14 keep their certificates and other Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee important documents. Similar and freedom fighter Madan 4: 4:-:/%%1D:-1%,-7+:- 14%17/-/31% to a bank locker, the facility Mohan Malaviya. He also would provide safe custody of greeted the people of the State 1-%,:4:- 7/-1'1 1%;7.67D:4/+:/% documents to the employees for Christmas. and these could be taken out He said fair and prompt :+ 7;::-/37..1 :4-%7 47D13:%,: from the Digilocker as and delivery of services is a Good when required by them," he Governance in a real manner, 7++7/+--:- /1/%:44 %:3-:4D1 :- said. adding that people elected their Earlier, the Chief Minister representatives with some aspi- /:4:-%%7%,:14,7+:$,:-13%,1- 7 3': $5! 0+ ! # launched five new e-initiatives rations and it is the responsi- $ % $ ) ! including website of 22 dis- bility of government employees 7--1' :%,47 6,:267D:4// : tricts, addition of 42 new and officers to provide the schemes and services on the common masses uninterrupt- Saral Portal, Lokayukt Portal, ed services nearest to their smart employee or officer. He have been benefitted in last 5 get the benefit of government '( " integration of 91 Tehsils to Web home. He said this could be said that increasing population years and an amount of Rs 244 schemes and progress instead Helris and digital map of village possible through e-governance. is among the challenges which crore has been transferred they get the same at their Sirsi (District Karnal) to make Khattar said there are need to be addressed. Such into the bank accounts. door step. the village free from Lal Dora. about 3.50 lakh government problems or challenges should In addition, he said, e-PDS He said that this scheme ) * The State Government has employees in the State and be visualized and advance plan- system, Ease of Doing would become a unique model developed 22 district Websites they all should work efficient- ning be made. Business under which entre- of good governance in the using secure, scalable and sug- ly without any discrimination Describing corruption as a preneurs are being provided all country. ', '/:-4 Stating that the AIIMS, amya platform. and simultaneously adhering to big menace , he said that min- necessary clearances within On this occasion, the Bhubaneswar has now 40 All websites have an inbuilt the timelines. He said that to imizing human interface and 45 days through Haryana Chief Minister also exhorted nion Minister departments, Pradhan said content management system ensure this, the State adoption of e-governance could Enterprises Promotion Centre the employees not resort to UDharmendra Pradhan on the Union Government is which enables nodal officers to Government has fixed time- go a long way in eradicating (HEPC), Durga App for agitations and dharnas to press Wednesday pointed out that fully committed to providing easily manage and update the lines under the Right to this menace from the society. women security, gram for their demands and always the All India Institute of quality healthcare to Odisha contents on respective website. Services Act- 2014. Besides, discretionary power sachivalyas in 1785 villages, help maintaining an atmos- Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and the AIIMS would fulfil With the launch of addi- "People’s satisfaction is the should also be reduced. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao phere of peace, harmony and Bhubaneswar is the contri- the healthcare need of the tional 42 new schemes and ser- key to government and he Referring to various ini- Programme, online arrange- brotherhood in the State. bution of former Prime Odisha and neighbouring vices on Saral Portal, the num- assured that in this process if tiatives taken so far by the ment of building plan and He said they should be Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. States. ber of such schemes and ser- any rule or law is creating hin- State Government since 2014, occupation certificate. cautious of those divisive Pradhan was attending a Responding to a medical vices has reached to 527. These drances, we would not hesitate Khattar said prominent among He said that at present, forces which try to create programme of unveiling of a query, Pradhan said the State schemes and services pertain- to change the same," he assert- these included abolishing 4200 villages of the State are environment against the gov- life-size statue of Vajpayee in Government has not yet ing to the 38 departments, ed. Khattar exhorted the interview process in govern- getting 24 hours electricity ernment. He said that Haryana the AIIMS premises here. implemented the Ayushman boards and corporations are employees and officers to intro- ment jobs of group B and C supply under the Mhara Gaon Government has taken sever- The statue and several facili- Bharat Yojana for which poor being provided to the citizens spect their style of working and category, merit based recruit- Jagmag Gaon Yojana. The al decisions in the interest of ties for patients were unveiled people of the State have been through more than 6000 Atal approach as it would help them ment in government jobs, remaining villages would also employees. Haryana is the by Union Health and Family deprived of getting free Seva Kendras and 115 providing effective solution to implementation of e-registra- be covered soon. first State in the country to Welfare Minister Harsh treatment for deadly ailments Antyodaya Kendras through- the problems of people. tion at Tehsil level, e-bhoomi Khattar said work on give benefit of 7th pay com- Vardhan. like heart disease, tumour out 22 districts of the State. Giving success mantra to portal for purchase of land for another scheme namely mission to its employees. Pradhan thanked the and cancer up to Rs 5 lakh. The ‘Lokayukta Portal’ has employees and officers, he development projects, Meri Parivar Pehchan Patra is in Later, the Chief Minister AIIMS, Bhubaneswar author- Harsh Vardhan laid foun- been developed with features asked them to work as Fasal-Mera Byora online por- progress in which a system also interacted with the ities and Mahanadi Coal dation-stone for a modular like acceptance of complaint or SMART- Simple, Moral, tal for farmers, Direct Benefit would be prepared through employees of various districts Limited (MCL) for installa- operation theatre and an ICU cath lab and DFIR in the grievances, marking of com- Accountable, Responsible and Transfer (DBT) system under which the people need not to through video tion of the Vajpayee statue. complex and inaugurated a medical premises. plaint or grievances, enquiry of Transparent way to become a which 46,000 beneficiaries visit government offices to conferencing. %& 1)/745)08. 38 8 O 45 ! &! '( # ) ,/3164, senior SAD leader. !/6 ) Saying that this was not all, &++;%#;+#(<;(;# ,/3164, ondemning the Congress Maluka said that the scheduled ,#*##+#(>(+*(<<;%+(<*&# ,/3164, CGovernment for affecting caste and backward caste con- been a year of mixed fortunes. In the Congress or the JJP. (;%?#%<# #:*>#*E -9# the 18th power tariff increase in sumers were facing the brunt of the Lok Sabha elections, even stal- During the year, Bhupinder hiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on less than three years, the the power hikes the most. he BJP had fluctuating political warts like former Union minister Singh Hooda faced the heat from SWednesday demanded the resig- <(9+##*#-*(:*# Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on “These consumers are being Tfortunes in 2019 as two elections Kumari Selja, former chief minister central agencies. nation of Punjab Social Welfare ;(%%##>#>#*+**&#;(+*(< Wednesday said that this would presented with inflated bills just months apart in the year threw Bhupinder Singh Hooda, then state In August, the Enforcement Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot in -#:(+*">*;+;&(%+&:+ cause untold misery to the with the government removing up dramatically different results in unit chief Ashok Tanwar and three- Directorate filed its first charge the case involving embezzlement of *(9-#:%##-+*9-#*+ common man and would make the subsidy for backward con- Haryana for the ruling party. time MP Deepender Singh Hooda sheet over alleged irregularities in scholarship money meant for Dalit industry unviable in the State. sumers and not honouring the Even though BJP made a clean bit the dust. But it improved its tally land allotment to the Congress-pro- students. “An additional power tariff commitment made to the SC sweep in May’s Lok Sabha polls, in the assembly polls, emerging as moted Associated Journals Limited “The fraud could not have been ship funds to private colleges and an hike of Rs 0.36 per unit, which consumers,” he said. winning all 10 parliamentary con- the second largest party with 31 (AJL) in Panchkula, naming Hooda committed without connivance from attempt was made to hush up the included increased additional He said that even poor stituencies in the state, in the seats against the BJP’s 40. Compared and veteran party leader Motilal the very top,” said SAD MLA and the matter by suspending a Deputy electricity duty, the domestic consumers were being forced to assembly polls five months later in to just 17 seats in the previous Vora. former Chief Parliamentary Secretary Director. consumers would have to pay pay charges whether they con- October, it could not even muster a House, it was a morale-boosting The Khattar government disap- Pawan Kumar Teenu demanding “A single officer cannot pocket Rs 8.37 per unit while the sumed power or not. “This is in majority on its own. performance. Briefly, the Congress pointed sportspersons, who often that a simultaneous a central vigi- such a huge amount of Government industry would be charged Rs stark contrast to the tenure of Its “Mission 75”, to win that appeared to toy with the idea of bring it laurels at national and lance commission probe should be money on his own without the 7.85 per unit,” said the former the previous SAD-BJP govern- many seats in the 90-member, fell staking its claim to power, but with international events. In June, a launched into the entire case “as an involvement of those at the top,” he minister Sikander Singh ment which had allocated Rs flat. Among the BJP losers were 10 JJP MLAs choosing to go with controversy broke out after it attempt is being made to hush it up said adding that the officer must have Maluka. 1,000 crore for SC and BC con- eight Haryana ministers. the BJP, it didn’t stand a chance. scrapped a state-level function to by taking action against a junior offi- been forced not to release the schol- Stating that this was a sumers to extend free power The biggest gainer was the Just weeks before the Vidhan present awards. It decided to trans- cial”. arship amount of Rs 72 crore besides “betrayal of the promises made supply to them,” he said. Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), with Sabha polls, Haryana Congress fer the cash prize directly into their “This is a clear case of con- being asked to disburse funds arbi- to the people”, Maluka said that Asking the government not which the BJP forged a post-poll faced turbulence. accounts. The government reasoned nivance between senior most officials trarily. the Chief Minister Capt to transfer its inefficiencies to alliance to form a coalition gov- Singh Hooda, who had virtually that nearly 3,000 players were to be of the Social Welfare He added that it had also come Amarinder Singh had promised the people, Maluka said that ernment, giving Manohar Lal threatened to quit the party, was honoured and it was not possible to Department…Undue favours were to light that instead of to reduce domestic power tar- Finance Minister Manpreet Khattar his second term as chief placated by being made the legisla- do so in a day. granted to private college manage- recovering the embezzled scholarship iff after taking over the office Badal should also lead by exam- minister. ture party leader. Former Union Towards the year-end, the state ments at the cost of denying SC post- money from the erring private edu- and had even promised power ple and should reduce his own JJP leader Dushyant Chautala minister Kumari Selja replaced government held an international matric scholarships to underprivi- cational institutions, officials con- at a landing cost of Rs five per power costs by dismantling the (31), grandson of former Chief Ashok Tanwar as the state unit Gita festival, now an annual feature leged students,” said Teenu. nived with the institutions to release unit to the industrial sector. 27 air conditioners and 17 gey- Minister O P Chautala, emerged as chief. Tanwar was miffed and quit that showcases the scripture as well He said that the Minster was try- their scholarship dues. “The power tariff has been ers he had installed at his resi- kingmaker, with his party, which the Congress, just three weeks as Kurukshetra, where the event is ing to save his skin in the multi-crore “Even the audit reports of the increased by more than 30 per- dence. had broken away from the Indian before October 21 assembly polls. held. post-matric scholarship funds scam Finance Department were fudged to cent ever since the Congress He also demanded that National Lok Dal (INLD) in 2018, The decimation of the INLD Senior bureaucrat Ashok case by passing the buck on junior extend benefits to certain institutions, Government has come to power the government present a white doing much better than the parent was complete. The party drew a Khemka too remained in the news officials of the Social Welfare making lakhs of Dalits students wait and the common man would paper on the expenditures outfit. blank in the Lok Sabha polls and – he faced yet another transfer, the Department. “An immediate FIR endlessly for release of their schol- not be able to bear this burden. incurred by the Power Now sharing power in the state, Abhay Singh Chautala was the only 53rd in his career in November.The should be registered in the case and arships,” he said adding that the delay The industrial sector has been Department and ‘the people the new party seemed to have one to win the assembly elections. 1991-batch IAS officer wrote to Minister’s role in the scam should in release of post-matric scholarship made unviable by repeated should not be forced to pay for appropriated the legacy of former In any case, during the run-up to Khattar, saying while "pliable" offi- also be probed,” he demanded. money forced lakhs of SC students power tariff hikes and now the profligacy of the govern- deputy prime minister Devi Lal, Vidhan Sabha polls, a majority of cials flourish the honest ones are SAD leader said that huge anom- to abandon their study midway as there is no hope of fresh invest- ment and its ministers and offi- who had founded the INLD. the INLD MLAs and prominent givenalies had been detected in the dis- they could not enroll in the colleges ment in the State,” said the cials”. For the Congress too, it has leaders had switched over to the BJP, insignificant roles. tribution of SC post-matric scholar- for higher studies. !"#!$%& 9 " #$%& " & 6 8: + & "+ & ;" & !-
rural households have access to /:3: ,1 /:3: ,1 piped water supply. “Now our Government has set the target espite slowdown in the utlining the need for con- to deliver clean drinking water Dreal estate sector, housing Oserving water, Prime to 15 crore homes in the next sales in the national capital Minister Narendra Modi on five years through pipes,” he region (NCR) went up by 6 per Wednesday asked farmers to said. cent to 46,920 units during opt for less water intensive Modi also said that both 2019 on higher demand for crops and irrigation method. Union and state governments affordable homes and com- He was launching Atal Jal will spend 3.5 lakh crore on pleted flats. The housing prices Yojana, aimed at improving water-related schemes in the in Delhi-NCR remained stag- groundwater level in seven next five years. He also urged nant at nearly 4,600 per sq ft States. Raising the issue of people of every village to make while unsold inventories fell by 44,300 units, while sales in in the NCR while the least quality drinking water, Prime a water action plan and create 6 per cent to 1,75,079 units Chennai rose by 4 per cent to number will be available in Minister also observed that a water fund.He appealed to from 1,86,714 units. 11,820 units from 11,340. Chennai. The top seven real said there is dissatisfaction NRIs to provide whatever assis- According to property con- However, Bengaluru witnessed estate markets in the country among people in Delhi over tance in water-related issues in sultant Anarock, across seven 12 per cent drop in sales to from which data was collated “unclean” drinking water and their villages. major cities, sales rose by 5 per 50,450 units from 57,540 units. for this report are NCR, this is a worrisome issue. Prime Minister also raised cent to 2,61,370 units in 2019 Sales in Kolkata and Hyderabad Mumbai Metropolitan Region Speaking at the launch of the need of quality in drinking compared to 2,48,310 units in decreased by 11 per cent each (MMR), Pune, Hyderabad, the scheme, Modi said by form- ! # # $ %>% , water. He said that dissatis- the previous year. Sales and were recorded at 13,930 Chennai, Bengaluru and ing the Jal Shakti Ministry, his *@*A 8 ) .& 8 # % 3 5 # % 3 faction among people in Delhi dropped by 22 per cent in the units and 16,590 units, respec- Kolkata. Currently, nearly 13.1 Government has tried to free 3 ! " over “unclean” drinking water second half of this year to tively, in 2019. lakh housing units, launched the subject of water from a and this is a worrisome issue. 1,47,120 as against 1,14,250 Average residential prop- between 2014 and 2019, are in compartmentalised approach groundwater and using old-age explain the farmers in his own delivering piped water supply Modi's comments came when units during January-June peri- erty prices across the top cities various stages of construction to a more comprehensive and techniques of irrigation also language.” to every house, and on the the AAP ruled Delhi State od this year. increased by 1 per cent in 2019 in the top seven cities of the holistic one. He said the Atal leads to wastage of water. Crops He also urged every village other, Atal Jal Yojana will pay assembly elections are due by According to the data, when compared to 2018 except country and nearly 21% of Jal Yojana will help improve like sugarcane, Modi said, need to prepare a water action plan, special attention to those areas next month. housing sales rose maximum Kolkata and NCR, where prices such units are to be delivered groundwater level in 78 dis- a lot of water and places where water fund and make use of the where groundwater is very low. “You must have seen in by 22 per cent in Mumbai remained stagnant. by the end of next year. tricts, more than 8,300 villages such crops are grown have funds through different relat- To incentivise village pan- Delhi these days there was so Metropolitan Region (MMR) According to the data, “Unrelenting liquidity cri- in the states of Maharashtra, noticed a depletion of ground- ed state and central schemes. chayats to perform better in much awareness regarding to 80,870 units this year from nearly 2.75 lakh ready-to- sis, lower-than-expected buyer Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, water table. “To improve this, Modi said villages with low water management, Modi said water and also dissatisfaction 66,440 units in 2018. Pune move-in houses will be avail- sentiments and faltering GDP Madhya Pradesh, Uttar we need to make farmers aware groundwater level should pre- a provision has been made in (over its quality). There is a witness 18 per cent rise in sales able in the market by the end growth eventually put brakes Pradesh and Karnataka. of conservation of rain water pare water budget and farmers the Atal Jal Yojana in which concern from all over that to 40,790 units from 34,460 of 2020 in the top seven real on the overall housing growth Prime Minister said agri- and taking alternative crops for should be encouraged to grow better performing village pan- Delhi is the national capital and units during the period under estate markets of the country. in the second half of 2019,” said culture in the country is large- cultivation and move towards crops accordingly. He said that chayats will be given more drinking water is unclean. This review. Sales in Delhi-NCR The highest number of these Anuj Puri, Chairman, Anarock ly based on irrigation carried micro-irrigation,” he said, on the one hand, Jal Jeevan allocation. He said in 70 years, has become a worrisome issue,” increased to 46,920 units from units (68,070) will be delivered Property Consultants. out through the use of adding that “it is necessary to Mission will work towards only 3 crore out of 18 crore Modi said.
P Q % + N- 1#- N . & Doda district recently to attend ? - a function organised by Smart 2 " " City Foundation, also said the area was perfect for adventure sports. “It is a beautiful area /:3: ,1 & into the affairs of flag march 2 and we have received their days later. demand of building a roadway he Congress leadership has AICC general secretary K and starting a gondola service. Tcommunicated to the State & C Venugopal said that a series /:3: ,1 It can be a perfect spot for units and Chief Ministers of of flag marches will be organ- cycling also so we could have party-ruled States to make the ! & ised in continuation of the rime Minister Narendra a cycle track. We have already 'Save India, Save Constitution' * success and the momentum PModi on Wednesday said proposed connectivity through flag march on Saturday a huge generated by the massive the “strategic” Rohtang tunnel, Chamba to the area to National success by participating in all .< 'Bharat Bachao Rally'. christened as Atal Tunnel and Highways Authority of India,” the State capitals making elab- “The flag march is aimed connecting Manali to Leh, will Patel said. orate and peaceful arrange- at registering a strong protest change the fortunes of the The ministry's efforts to ments. against the anti-people policies region. develop areas of the newly Congress president Sonia !! of the Narendra Modi-Amit Speaking at an event held The historic decision to der areas of Himachal Pradesh formed union territory come in Gandhi would hoist the & Shah led BJP Government to name the underground build the tunnel below the and Ladakh which otherwise the backdrop of the revocation Congress flag at party head- which has resulted in massive motor passage after former Rohtang Pass was taken in remain cut off from the rest of of special status to erstwhile quarters in New Delhi while all unemployment, economic Prime Minister Atal Bihari 2000 when Vajpayee was the the country for about six Jammu and Kashmir which senior State leaders and heads slowdown, unprecedented Vajpayee, Modi said the project prime minister. The 8.8-km- months during winters. has caused massive unrest in of frontal organisations would price rise and atrocities against is very important for the coun- long tunnel will be the world's Meanwhile the Tourism the region. Sources said that the participate in the march State (CAA) and National Register of concluded Jharkhand elections women,” Venugopal said. try. “Rohtang Tunnel, con- longest above an altitude of Ministry has moved a propos- idea is to develop areas around capitals, which would be organ- Citizens (NRC) has made where Cong alongwith its ally The divisive policies of necting Manali in Himachal 3,000 metres and will reduce al to the NHAI for better con- the valley, ised by the respective Pradesh part to decide to mount more were able to uproot BJP in BJP Govt like CAA and brutal Pradesh to Leh in Ladakh, will the distance between Manali nectivity to Bhaderwah in so that their economies Congress Committees (PCCs). pressure on the Government to State has boosted morale of police crackdown on protesting now be known as Atal Tunnel. and Leh by 46 kilometres, Jammu and Kashmir through can be given a boost. Tourism “The decision was taken in keep intact the salient party workers hence the high students and citizens will also This strategic tunnel will according to the defence min- Chamba in Himachal Pradesh being the mainstay of most of a meeting of AICC general sec- features of Indian constitu- command has decided to con- be taken up, which are aimed change the fortunes of this istry. to promote tourism in the the people here, giving them retaries and in-charges last tion. duct a 'Save India, Save at diverting attention from the region. It will help in promot- Once thrown open, the region. such opportunities would week and the success of con- The massive response of Constitution' flag march on burning issues affecting com- ing tourism in the region,” he tunnel will provide all-weath- Union minister Prahlad ensure that they do not feel left tinuous protest against the Bharat Bachao Rally last week Dec 28, its foundation day,” said mon people, the party said in said. er connectivity to remote bor- Patel who visited the town in out, Patel said. Citizenship Amendment Act in national Capital and just a senior Cong leader looking a statement. #
/:3: ,1 CM Arvind Kejriwal and invite Minister-designate Hemant him too for his oath ceremony. Soren to form Government. harkhand Chief Minister- He has also sought time from The governor's invitation Jdesignate Hemant Soren on PM Narendra Modi for a cour- comes a day after Soren called Wednesday met Congress pres- tesy visit. Modi had congratu- on the govenor at Raj Bhavan ident Sonia Gandhi and invit- lated him on the day of to stake claim to form Govt, ed her for his swearing-in cer- Jharkhand Assembly results submitting a letter of support emony, scheduled in Ranchi on for his party's success paving of 50 MLAs to her. The pre-poll December 29. his way to become next CM of opposition combine bagged 47 Soren also met former Jharkhand. seats (JMM 30, Congress 16 Congress chief Rahul Gandhi The JMM-led three-party and RJD one) in 81-member and invited him too to attend alliance stormed to power in Assembly, while the three- the oath ceremony of the new 5 # , ? 3 Jharkhand on Monday, ousting member JVM (P) has extend- dispensation wherein Congress ! 3 8 ) ! " the BJP in yet another state in ed “unconditional support” to and JMM are partners. the Hindi heartland after the Soren to form Govt. " B ;" < '# 3 ! ) 8 Soren was accompanied Janpath residence, Soren had the state. saffron party's stupendous per- Contesting Jharkhand elec- ? 3 ! " 3 %3 by Congress leaders KC said it is a courtesy meeting. “Sonia has assured that formance in the Lok Sabha tions alone for first time sans 3 ;3<C=8 8 .! 8 Venugopal and RPN Singh, Soren also wanted to thank the Rahul will attend the ceremo- elections. The JMM on long-standing ally the AJSU 8 $ ! # $ % .8 who is the party's in-charge for Congress and its leadership ny,” he said after the meeting. Wednesday said Governor Party, BJP bagged just 25 seats, 8 " 3 " # Jharkhand. Before the meeting for their support in helping Sources said that Soren is Droupadi Murmu has invited 16 seats short of the majority !3 with Sonia Gandhi at her 10 form a coalition government in also expected to meet Delhi its working president and Chief mark of 41 seats. +# > : +
/:3: ,1 will always inspire the coun- ' !" trymen,” Modi said. resident Ram Nath Kovind Paying tributes to Vajpayee, Pand Prime Minister Home Minister and BJP /:3: ,1 Narendra Modi led the nation President Amit L1 in paying tributes to former Shah recalled contribu- he Tourism Ministry has Prime Minister and BJP stal- tions of the former prime min- Tmoved a proposal to the wart Atal Bihari Vajpayee on ister and said on one hand NHAI for better connectivity to his 95th birth anniversary. A Vajpayee as an efficient organ- Bhaderwah in J&K through prayer meeting was held at iser, propelled the party at the Chamba in Himachal Pradesh Sadaiv Atal--the memorial to all-India level, on the other to promote tourism in the $1 Vajpayee-where several Union hand, he led the country. region, Union Minister Prahlad Ministers also paid their hum- Events during his tenure, Patel has said. ble tributes . like the Pokharan nuclear tests Patel, who visited the town # BJP veteran L K Advani, and victory in the Kargil in Doda district recently to K Defence Minister Rajnath war created a strong image of attend a function organised by Singh, Home Minister Amit India in the world, Shah Smart City Foundation, also + Shah, Speaker Om Birla and said.Shah also paid respects to said the area was perfect for members of Vajpayee's family Malaviya. adventure sports. were amongst those who paid “Former Prime Minister “It is a beautiful area and their tributes amid the playing ! 6 ;<! # #& # 3 % 3 '3 Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji was we have received their demand The ministry's efforts to Tourism being the main- of hymns and devotional = $ 3 ! # $ % 0+ among the great politicians of of building a roadway and develop areas of the newly stay of most of the music. 8 ) ! " independent India starting a gondola service. It formed union territory comes people here, giving them such Vajpayee was born in 1924 who achieved success in giving can be a perfect spot for cycling in the backdrop of the revoca- opportunities would ensure in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. hearts of the countrymen, on Madan Mohan Malaviya on his India,” Modi wrote on Twitter. new direction and new also so we could have a cycle tion of special status to erst- that they do not feel left out, He died on August 16, 2018 at his birth anniversary,” Modi 158th birth anniversary. He said Malaviya played an height to the politics of the track. while J&K which has caused Patel said. AIIMS here.The memorial was wrote on Twitter. “A humble tribute to important role in the freedom country as well as diplomacy. We have already proposed massive unrest in the region. The three-day cultural car- dedicated to the nation in He also posted a brief video Mahamana Pandit Madan movement besides making On the occasion of Atal ji's connectivity through Chamba Sources said that the idea nival at Bhaderwah, which was December last year. on Vajpayee, recalling his con- Mohan Malaviya ji on his birth invaluable contribution in the birth anniversary, I pay him to the area to National is to develop areas around the attended by the Minister, wit- “Tributes to Atal Bihari tributions to the country. anniversary, who dedicated his field of education. respectful remembrance and Highways Authority of India,” valley, so that their economies nessed more than 25 perfor- Vajpayee, who is etched in the He also paid tributes to life to the service of Mother “His scholarship and ideals salute,” Rajnath Singh tweeted. Patel told PTI. can be given a boost. mances by young artists. !"#!$%& ? *# * $ 5 P% 3 $ 5 5 ))*+,-.), -/ 12R " " ) + & " ",!-. ( ! 1 & FIFI 1 # ( ) 3 2 " - * ) * 4 " ( # ( 35$ ( ( ( +,-. &/ -.) 3 6S * 35$ he year 2019 was dominated by internal political considera- ( * ( tions that impacted India’s $! relationship with neighbouring countries, which typically # 6 Trequires magnanimity, accommodation " P* 8Q () and beneficence for it is the dominant # 6 nation in the subcontinent and the region, too. 2019 was also the year when O 1 the 17th General Elections were held. O " * ( Certain hardening of positions and pos- ; $ tures by national parties, to the detriment of sentiments across the international bor- <= 1!$4 ders, was inevitable given the high elec- 35$S > toral stakes involved. Earlier misadventures by Pakistan in the form of Pulwama had already fore- closed any possibility of rapprochement P Q ; ( in the deeply-hyphenated realm of India- Pakistan dynamics. Besides the Pulwama- " ( P Q # Balakot reciprocity and din, matters per- taining to neighbourhood affairs reached ; ( a low ebb in the months leading up to the +< P Q ; elections in May. Post the polls, the sur- ; 35$ ( prise selection of former diplomat S Jaishankar as the Minister for External strongman with a questionable track, set irreconcilably poised with the odd these concerns. This has flagged poten- ? @ * # Affairs promised the much-needed states- alarm bells ringing in New Delhi with his Kartarpur bonhomie getting frittered tial red flags. ( manship, maturity and domain knowl- ascendancy. away as there’s no forward movement hap- If there is one major shift required in > 1 @ 1 P ( edge to heal the simmering and unad- Relations with our neighbours in the pening. 2020 in dealing with neighbouring coun- dressed restiveness in the region. While East, like Myanmar and Bhutan, have Electoral politics on both sides tries, it will be to conduct foreign policy Q # * ( it has been barely seven months since the remained robust with the continuation of along the Line of Control (LoC) are that is bereft of short-term electoral con- 1 # P (Q ; new Government assumed office, neigh- the India-Myanmar Bilateral Army increasingly predicated on the ability of siderations. Recent accusations of med- ( bourhood relations remain a matter of Exercise (IMBAX) and Naypyidaw’s sup- both nations to sabre-rattle, instigate dling in Madhesi issues in Nepal, suppos- grave concern. port for the Indian armed forces in fight- and flex muscles at each other for short- edly “influencing” Government formation - The year 2019 was also the one ing insurgent groups based in Myanmar. term gratification. Neither side is will- in Sri Lanka and Maldives, unsettled ripar- when new Governments were formed in India’s measured response on the sen- ing to “risk peace” as that path is littered ians issue with Bangladesh — all are 3 ( three key neighbouring nations. The year sitive Rohingya issue with Myanmar with perceptions of political weakness. symptomatic of an unhealthy “big-broth- began with the Sheikh Hasina-led and the evolving economic opportunities Meanwhile, the Chinese are content er” perception that New Delhi is increas- " ( Awami League registering landslide in treaties like the Bay of Bengal Initiative playing with its “all-weather-friend”, ingly getting accused of. # " ( victory in Bangladesh. It is decidedly a for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Islamabad, and is ready to fructify its India has to posture neutral prefer- 4 ( ? @ more pro-India dispensation than a pos- Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), strategic China-Pakistan-Economic- ence in the impending Myanmar National sible Bangladesh Nationalist Party ASEAN and Mekong Ganga Cooperation Corridor (CPEC) imperatives that will Elections in 2020 as these are sensitive 3 ( (BNP)-led by Khaleeda Zia, which have helped it maintain momentum. further beholden Pakistan to China. times with a potential to damage sover- S could not even participate in the elec- India also seems to have struck a fine The year 2020 will test India’s foreign eign credentials. Pakistan and China ( # 35$S ; ( tions. What was even more reassuring balance with Aung San Suu Kyi’s National policy mandarins. The serendipitous should not be expected to be resolved but 0,= ( to further India’s strategic concerns League for Democracy (NLD), the civil- pro-India regime ushering in Male and only managed better. The subtle inclusion was the fall of the Abdulla Yameen ian Government, the still-powerful Army Dhaka notwithstanding, the Chinese will of international pressure via groupings like ; Government in Maldives, which had in Myanmar and even the erstwhile continue bearing down in the region with QUAD (US, Japan, Australia and India), - ! 1- A !1B 3 ; worryingly forsaken its traditional junta, with whom cross-border operations an eclectic mix of charm (take the exam- UN watchdog bodies like FATF (it threat- * 5 ( “India-first” stance in favour of the are facilitated. Bhutan’s strategic conver- ple of Nepal), development aid (example, ens to “blacklist” Pakistan on supporting Chinese. It was replaced with India’s tra- gence with Sino-wariness (Doklam shad- Sri Lanka), coercion (example Bhutan), terror) and increasing economic engage- # 6 ditional ally, Mohamed Nasheed-led ows still lurk) and the hydropower oppor- intimidation (example, Myanmar) and ment with the Gulf Sheikdoms to neu- 35$ Maldives Democratic Party (MDP), tunities got a further fillip with the debt-traps (example, Pakistan) continu- tralise the emotive and traditional Pakistan * " which made a comeback with a two- Sunkosh Project, which is four times the ously wenching out neighbouring coun- bias for them will be key in upping the ante thirds majority. It won 65 of the 87 seats size of the 720MW Mangdechhu Project tries from improving stances with India. with Islamabad without directly taking on !1 at the hustings. that was completed recently. The spirit of accommodation and the same. “Management” rather than @ ( % However, India’s luck with the new However, relations with Nepal remain optics of problem-resolution, that have “resolution” will necessitate realpolitik that # 1 ( leadership ran out in Sri Lanka with the less than satisfactory as China aggressive- been waning in recent times, have to be aggressively taps into India’s “pivot” or return of the Rajapaksa clan in the pres- ly keeps baiting Kathmandu with devel- given top priority. Nepal and Bangladesh “counter” status in a fractured world that C idential elections. The Rajapaksas, as it is opment sops that are irresistible for the in particular, where murmurs of India’s stares nervously at the permutations and ) S known, have a pro-China legacy. Now, ideologically-aligned Communist regime political intransigence have gained cre- combinations that await the US presiden- ) * Gotabaya Rajapaksa has won presi- over there. The counter-lever is openly dence. The recent hullabaloo over the tial elections, Brexit and other geopoliti- dentship and paved the way for Mahinda flaunted in Kathmandu and the memo- Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and cal upheavals. These need to be put in a D@ 4 ! 1 Rajapaksa to take charge as the Prime ries of the 2015 “Indian blockade” are not National Register of Citizens (NRC) has diplomacy calculus which is still managed (( - ; Minister of Sri Lanka. Riding on the wave completely forgotten. The recently-updat- raised concerns in Bangladesh and Sri professionally, unhindered and without an * ? ( of the Sinhalese ethnic-religious majori- ed and released map of India led to fresh Lanka. Concerted engagement to clarify eye on domestic elections. tarianism, which got instigated during the controversy in Nepal on the inclusion of and allay fears are urgently called for. (The writer, a military veteran, is a horrific Easter Sunday bombings, Kalapani. But it is the long freeze in the Already, the Bangladeshi Foreign Minister former Lt Governor of Andaman & 3 )S Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the former military India-Pakistan relationship that seems called off his trip to India in the wake of Nicobar Islands) 1 8 # S , . < /- ) ( % 8 9 1 1$' N $ # % ' ! P)Q N Q # $ P Q # 2 Q # $ $
>#+*# ;*( :*9%%#-# -/ K/ + K: , K3 ",!-./,!,! 0 0 , ) <-,0 0 " " take charge as Jharkhand’s new ) * Chief Minister, has to face a myr- ) iad of challenges. Despite having # Sir — This is with reference 2 fulfilled the same responsibilities to the soaring prices of % 8 9 / for 18 months in 2013-14, junior +, -( onions, which have touched 4 8/4 9 2 Soren has to face a different sit- # 150 per kg. The steep rise # 2 uation this time as circum- ( in the prices of onions is + / + stances have changed. He has to . hurting a vast segment of the 22 - keep his flock together, keep the population. To contain the /4 $ allies in good humour and main- ( runaway prices, both the + - tain a trade-off in power-sharing /(0 Central and State O /4 $ while allotting portfolios judi- ) Governments must immedi- /# + ciously among his partners, who ately intervene and work in 6 $% 6 might dissent anytime. tandem. The Centre should 5 L # 2 6 Azhar A Khan also consider giving a huge $M1 #+ /4 $7 Rampur subsidy on onions to grant 21/4 # -O +6 some relief to the citizens. $% /4 # Harminder Singh /4 21 2 2 # ) Gumbhir $,+ , + O $ ) Lucknow # -%*( Sir — This refers to the editori- $/ #+ al, “Still many questions” S 1 * 2 (December 25). Justice should S not only be done but should also ) Narendra Modi remains the picked up lessons from this be seen to be done. Governments Sir — This refers to the editori- tallest leader in the country. defeat and did a course correc- world over may not criticise the ) al, “Lessons from Jharkhand” However, it might be the tion in its policies and priorities. verdict for fear of earning the dis- (December 24). The Bharatiya other way round for State elec- As far as the Opposition is Sir — This refers to the article, pleasure of the oil-rich nation, # Janata Party (BJP) needs to tions. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha concerned, if they join hands and “Challenges galore for a rising but people outside the kingdom understand that State elections (JMM) won 26 out of the 28 seats put egos aside, then the BJP can star” (December 25) by Kalyani cannot be silenced by the dictum ( are different and cannot be a ref- reserved for Scheduled Tribes be challenged in most States. The Shankar. Truly, big positions “the king can do no wrong.” . erendum on the Centre or the (ST) and the BJP has fared next elections are due in Delhi come with big responsibilities. Shivansh Prime Minister. The role of poorly in rural areas. This goes and West Bengal. Both are going Hemant Soren, who has emerged Via email regional allies cannot be over- to prove that issues like poverty, to be tough ones for the party. from the shadow of his father ( emphasised, as at the Centre, the unemployment do matter to the Bal Govind and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha 3 4 BJP may not need allies as voters and it is time the BJP Noida (JMM) chief Shibu Soren, to %#**#+*(:(##B>%7;(> !"#!$%& ; *# * 1-0,#. / -,. ,.0-,. ' C D ' ' 0 E ' .4887 ?7 ? ' ' ' F?' '' ' F ' 7 O # L' L ' ? '' & " % +. 6-. & " # # ( ( ( # # > $ A >$B ) ( ( ( %. . 0 ? S /=/= E hat’s not important.” These were the three 6trrq rhyv) ! words that chilled me to the bone. Spoken by my friend’s father, who has ( known me since I was knee-high, they ! referred to Junaid, the boy from ( TBallabhgarh, who was killed on his way back home in a train after shopping for Eid. He was lynched # to death because he was wearing a skull cap. It did " ( not matter to him that his grandchild was exactly ! of the same age. All that was important was that ) the 14-year-old did not come from a particular community. In other words, he was “expendable.” Many moons after these words were uttered, the enormity is yet to sink in. The insensitivity, a lack ( of empathy, and to a large extent indifference, if not outright hatred of the minority, is an undercurrent Bhvt v rqphv) ) ( that has been on the rise beneath the calm of the - “unity in diversity” of the social fabric since the 2002 Gujarat riots and more so after the current ruling ) dispensation came to power in 2014. Sadly, among F the so-called educated as well or rather, more so. For someone, who despite being religious does not " ( wear the symbols of faith on the proverbial sleeve, ? ( it often invites the comment, “But you don’t look ( like a Muslim.” I am sure, those who do so have it worse. ) Until now. For, sometimes, things need to reach ance to those who feel threatened in the current food has become the norm as an army does not who is privileged, that is where you should be? ( a nadir before being rescued and then the only way atmosphere, which is rife with fear mongering march on an empty stomach. What heartened me Those voices need to be heard,” she replied. Yes, is up. Moreover, it is never the old guard, which pursued by the State. It is no longer a question was when at least five of them said, “I am a vege- the young can and are showing the way. * ( will challenge the existing practices but rather the of the survival or citizenship of a community but tarian.” The binary of “alleged cow killers” being And that is what many set out to do. After the ( young, or who the Government would have us rather a collective rejection of the bigoted ideas different and separate without a meeting ground fracas at Daryaganj, a primarily Muslim majority believe, the naive. The spontaneous protests that of statecraft. from the “pure vegetarians” was effectively trashed, area, when a large number of people were detained, broke out in response to the police action in Jamia Young India is reclaiming the objective, which coincidentally at a site that has the names of Indians not a single lawyer who turned up to get them Dr rihrq yrh vt) # Millia Islamia/Aligarh Muslim University and took birth a 100 years ago when Mahatma Gandhi across the divide fighting shoulder to shoulder in released or the doctors who queued up to treat them against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) led India’s freedom struggle powered by “inclusive” a foreign land. The marker should not be lost on came from the minority community. I met a group 4 ( National Register of Citizens (NRC) in campuses nationalism as opposed to that of an “exclusive” those who seek to divide us. of students exiting the Metro station near the thana across the country have often faced restrictions by nation promoted by the likes of the Muslim League At the same protest, I heard the idea reiterat- who were there to support them. Again, they were the State, which believes that the students are mis- and the Hindu Mahasabha. While the Government ed by a young woman while speaking to a TV there in their capacities as activists, who believed guided and misled. But any mass movement has seems to be on a path of head-on collision with reporter. She asserted, “Why is there no violence in humanity being beyond the borders of religion. # the ability to take on a character of its own and what those ideas as well as the ones incorporated in the when the protests have mixed communities but the If this isn’t proof that my country refuses to be divid- ( this one does is restore the faith that the idea of an Constitution by BR Ambedkar, the youth have police unleashes its full scale strength at places like ed then what is? “inclusive”, “sensitive” and “empathetic” country, as decided to make the safeguarding of the same their Jamia, Daryaganj and Seelampur? It is nothing more Then, of course, there are the brave hearts Tpvhy hq rvhy yrh vt) # envisaged by the framers of the Constitution, is alive battle cry. But in their own way, where the old idea than an attempt to communalise the protest, make across colleges, who might not be attending the S and kicking. This was reinforced in every protest is reinforced in their own Instagrammable fashion. it a Muslim issue and portray the community as protests but in their own way, are making their voic- that was attended by me. For students have decided to “redeem our violent. We aren’t buying it. Everyone has an equal es heard. Jadavpur, Pondicherry and Banaras Hindu The first one, at the Police Headquarters at pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very sub- claim on the country and not any particular com- University are some names that come to one’s mind ) ( ITO in Delhi, was certainly an eye-opener. The stantially,” for a nation that is more “inclusive” of munity.” where students have registered their protest. At conviction of the group, consisting more than its minorities and backwards. So, at the protests, It is the same thought from Dr Rahat Indori’s Jadavpur, a student while accepting her degree tore 3 2,000 people, who had assembled within an hour they sang songs, armed with nothing more than a poem, Agar khilaaf hai hone do jaan thodi hai (It up the CAA with the words, “Hum kaagaz nahin of a WhatsApp forward doing the rounds, did not daphli and the strength of their voices, which they doesn’t matter if people are against for it is not life), dikhaenge (We won’t show our papers),” the poem perceive my Muslimness as equivalent to other- hope would pierce the high walls of privilege and which was written 30 years ago and has gained a by comedian Varun Grover. The protesters have Tryshprq yrh vt) # ness, took time to register. The call was to protest entitlement. And if anyone is mistaken that it is the new lease of life. At every protest there are always found a creative outlet not just in cheeky and intel- against the students at the Jamia Milia Islamia youth from a particular community that “can be some holding up a banner saying, ligent banners but also in a lot of poetry and songs # being brutalised. Though I’ve never worn a hijab, identified by their clothes”, a stern reminder has “Lagegi aag to aayenge ghar kai zad me being written in opposition to the act. that day, the anger in me swelled. Heading out been sent out by the likes of Indulekha Parthan, a Yahan pe sirf humara makan thodi hai,” Last but not the least, the most enduring of the house, I decided to tie my stole like one first year law student, who decided to wear a hijab (A fire will engulf everything in its vicinity and image from the protest emerged from the Jama " * for if people believed I was “different” then I want- at a protest while holding aloft a banner challeng- not just houses of one person/community.) Masjid, the largest mosque in the capital, where ed the difference to be on their face. When I ing attire-based identity. Another unknown man or 33-year-old Chandrashekhar Azad, the leader of reached, along with a cousin, the crush of human- stripped off his shirt to display his janeu, the mark- “Sabhi ka khoon shaamil yahan ki mitti me Bhim Sena, bounded up the steps holding in his ( ity was daunting but never intimidating. People er of a high-caste Hindu despite the biting cold. Kisi ke baap ka Hindustan thodi hai.” hand a copy of the Constitution rather than the made way for us. Two women were without a More were to join the ranks. People wearing skull (Everyone has shed blood in pursuit of the idea Gita or the Quran and the people heeded to his male companion in tow in a city which is not caps along with tilaks or burkhas with bindis, ask- of India which doesn’t belong to one community.) call rather than that of their Imam. This, my . ( known to be open to the idea of us stepping out ing which of the two offended the onlooker more. Moreover, it is young women who are at the friend, is certainly the idea of India. So while the ( alone at night. But amid this crush of humani- This was a unique direction that the protests have forefront in many of these protests. At one, I met Government is insisting upon an idea of what it ) ty, we felt safe. Somewhere along the night, my taken. It could only be expected from the younger Pallavi, a bright young one who was accompanied wants the country to be, young people, like every- hijab was back to where it usually is, hanging generation to challenge the bigotry that exists on by two of her male friends. During the course of where else in the world, refuse to listen and show # % around my neck for it was no longer important. both sides of the religious divide. the discussion, I stated that I had taken a conscious in their own way that they do not want to be sad- Ordinary people, many of whom were not But then, the barriers crumbled in more ways decision not to attend the protests which were exclu- dled with cleaning up the divisive mistakes that even born when the excesses of 1984 took place than one. At a protest at India Gate, two young girls sively Muslim because I believe that it is not a com- the present generation is saddling them with. And or were just children during the 2002 riots, flood- were distributing chicken rolls “to fellow protest- munity issue but rather a fight to save the thank Allah, God, Ram and Wahe Guru for that. ! ed the streets in a show of solidarity and reassur- ers” since people pooling in their resources to buy Constitution. “But do you realise that as a person (The writer is Assistant Editor, The Pioneer) " sion has increased banking access dramati- the promises of financial inclusion — equi- increasingly becomes a reality, a second gen- graphic status and geography but also by their large part of the incremental credit is now cally, driven as it is by a strong regulatory table economic growth, growing successful eration of challenges has emerged — to cap- context. Hence, financial institutions, which going to individuals rather than corporate push. While efforts to improve financial businesses and improving financial security italise on the openings made possible through hope to alleviate their financial problems, houses, which form the bulk of the outstand- access and promote usage have brought a and prosperity — will remain elusive. access to offer products and services that truly must have a deep understanding of their ing credit. We are now seeing what is being staggering number of individuals into the for- There is a need to shift the intervention- improve lives. We have to go beyond mere motivations and obstacles so that they called as the “democratisation of credit.” mal financial services sector, the usage of these al focus from simple access-oriented measures physical accounts if we want to catalyse finan- design products and services that address the It is, therefore, important that we keep accounts and the uptake of formal financial towards utilisation and engagement-orient- cial inclusion into broader economic and consumers’ real needs. in mind the lessons of the past — such as the services beyond savings accounts have been ed measures. It is vital that we keep in mind social growth. People, who regularly use a An equally important area is reliable, pointlessness of cheap credit and imprudent ,. @A- difficult. Millions have signed up but few use that financial inclusion is a means to an end, bank account, are more likely to be financial- timely, adequate and fairly-priced credit. lending practices — as also of the present such the accounts. Financial inclusion is certain- not an end in itself. It is only when people ly literate than those who do not as there is Having a bank account is just one side of as the aggressive marketing of expensive cred- ne of India’s most dazzling ly at the crossroads on account of its myopic use financial tools to make their lives better a direct correlation between financial knowl- financial inclusion. Access to credit is anoth- it as a panacea for the poor. To enable the poor achievements during the year vision of restricted role to mere access. If peo- and help their community grow that finan- edge and financial services. er. Credit is an important rung on the finan- to work their way out of poverty, they need 2019 has been in the field of ple do not use these accounts, it can be sur- cial inclusion will be relevant. Arguably, the The Jan Dhan Yojana (JAM) is reshap- cial ladder that can help move people from to be enabled to move from one step to anoth- financial inclusion. The number mised that the policies are ineffective. This best way to increase usage of accounts is to ing the financial landscape and has enabled poverty to the middle class. In fact, business- er of the financial ladder to another through of Basic Savings Bank Deposit lack of usage underlines the importance of fully digitise payments for Government India to surge new heights. The take-off of es face great constraints to access finance graduated credit. Credit should be made avail- O(BSBD) accounts increased from 73 million creating products and engagement strategies transfers of social benefits. If one is a recip- digital financial services has largely driven this because of market imperfections such as able in staggered doses, with every new in 2010 to 574 million in 2019 following the that are better designed to meet the needs of ient of a cash transfer from the Government, growth. It has also enabled one of the biggest information asymmetries and transaction tranche disbursed after satisfactory repayment introduction of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan the people so that they can use them in their he/she will receive that cash transfer electron- pieces of reform ever attempted in India — costs. Merely making credit available and behaviour of the clients. This will also Yojana (PMJDY). Eighty per cent of the peo- daily financial lives. Access is one data point ically, which means one needs to have a bank direct subsidy transfers. Innovative solutions glamourising stories of poor women pulling ensure that the vulnerable groups do not get ple of over 15 years of age now have a bank among many. It should not serve as the ulti- account or some kind of transaction account. that can take into account the peculiarities themselves up with the help of a few doses into a debt trap; it will also make credit dis- account. According to an assessment by the mate objective for financial inclusion. These payments include everything from fer- of the people at the bottom of the pyramid of credit have been counterproductive. pensation more efficient and qualitative. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), India has Access to a bank account cannot by itself tiliser and cooking gas subsidies to oil, rural are needed. We need to use our natural pow- The biggest obstacle to credit expansion financial inclusion community now has a the fifth most conducive environment among improve the financial health of vulnerable employment wage to scholarships. ers of persistence, concentration, insight and is the lack of tangible data points, which can huge tent. It is heartwarming that the sub- emerging countries for inclusive finance. We groups. We have to simultaneously make peo- With digitisation of Government-to-per- sensitivity to do work, think deeply and solve help the credit bureaus put together better ject is dominating the mainstream policy should now strive to consolidate these gains. ple aware how they should handle their son transfer (G2P), user frequency is expect- our problems. As with most trumpeted inter- underwriting models for unbanked cus- agendas. However, we need to be on guard Let us not reduce them to mere flag posts and finances. Change in attitude and efficient sav- ed to increase. They will give people a rea- ventions, our programmes are scrambling to tomers. The proliferation of unique credit against any unrealistic hype as has happened consign our financial revolution to the drift- ings practices need to be imbibed. The cus- son to use those accounts. However, wher- turn rhetoric into reality. We don’t have to models backed by increasing data availabil- previously. To quote Nobel Prize winning wood of history. Lessons from past experi- tomer must make this account his financial ever this has been done, such accounts have reinvent the wheel. Policy-makers can learn ity for traditional agencies is establishing a author, VS Naipaul, “India’s financial inclu- ences caution us against the danger of back- diary and conduct transactions, which can remained merely a payment channel rather lessons from those who have achieved new paradigm for lenders. Increasingly, we sion space is ripe for a billion mutinies now.” sliding on the groundbreaking accomplish- grow into a credit history. Else all these than bringing a fundamental change in cus- impressive success. The choices of these vul- are seeing large numbers of unique borrow- (The writer is Member, NITI Aayog’s ments we have achieved. accounts will remain deadweight. Without tomer use of financial services. nerable communities are heavily influenced ers, who have been beneficiaries of the new National Committee on Financial Literacy and India’s aggressive drive in financial inclu- greater and consistent usage of bank accounts, Going beyond mere access: As access not just by socio-economic and demo- lending models built around technology. A Inclusion for Women.) !"#!$%& "
1 &# 2 H#GFE " 12 3 "# "7 "% person who served the country with such distinction.” "&4!56"- t a time her relationship Saying that he chose the Awith the Narendra Modi Chief Minister to grace the pro- Government is hitting the rock gramme because she was the Patna: Decimation of the of the opposition, the NDA Kolkata: As many as 1,726 bottom with both the leaders most suitable person for the Opposition in Lok Sabha polls appeared to have benefited people were apprehended in not sparing a chance to attack occasion, the Governor main- provided a bulwark to Bihars from the combined charisma of the city and its adjoining areas each other in public Bengal tained, “I could have invited ruling JD(U)-BJP coalition its leaders, seamless transfer of for allegedly flouting law on Chief Minister Mamata anyone in the country to unveil against its rivals in the first half votes, and last but not least, the Christmas Eve, a top police Banerjee has said that she is the portrait of Vajpayeeji and of 2019, although it came under patriotic fervour triggered by officer said on Wednesday.Of “missing” late Prime Minister … anyone will be happy and criticism in the subsequent the Balakot air strikes — car- the 1726,143 were arrested and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari gratified to do this as it will be months as a massive brain ried out in retaliation for under non-bailable warrants, Vajpayee “a lot.” an honour. I thought the fever outbreak left 200 children Pulwama terror attack in which he said. Paying rich tribute to the head and I have not said she Hon'ble CM was eminently dead, and flash floods reduced the state had lost two sons of While 558 were nabbed for former Prime Minister Kalighat residence where the with great patience and even has to unveil (the portrait). She most suitable to do the act at parts of the State capital to soil. disorderly conduct, nine were Banerjee has described him as visiting dignitary offered his accepted their advice where may have many other engage- the Raj Bhavan.” marooned islands. Towards the end of the taken into custody for gambling, a statesman who is missed by greetings to her mother. needed… They were never ments and I have the highest Informing that he would A combination of various year, however, the Citizenship 262 for triple-riding on two- even his political opponents for Describing Banerjee’s arrogant, anti-people or power respects for her. My grievance continue to humor the Chief factors helped Bihar's NDA - of (Amendment) Act, 2019 con- wheelers and 496 for riding his non-partisan politics. “unflinching respect” for the hungry like those who are in is not that she could not come, Minister Dhankhar said “as which Ram Vilas Paswans LJP sidered a precursor to nation- bikes without helmets, Joint Remembering the late late Prime Minister who died power today. True we all miss but lack of representation by the constitutional head, I can- is also a constituent — grab 39 wide implementation of Commissioner of Police (Crime) Prime Minister on his 94th in August last year a senior him a lot.” the government and bureau- not sit tight if someone is not out of 40 Lok Sabha seats, while National Register of Citizens - Murli Dhar Sharma told PTI. birth day on Wednesday the Bengal Minister recalled how Meanwhile, amid ongoing cracy has hurt me,” the responding. I would continue Lalu Prasads RJD, which had - left the state astir and the At least 106 have been Chief Minister tweeted the Chief Minister “often altercations between Nabanna Governor said at the end of to work in that direction in seemed invincible until its NDA partners uncomfortable, apprehended for drunk driving “Tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee remembers Vajpayee ji,” adding (State secretariat) and Raj programme. humility, discharge my duty ouster from power in 2005, with JD(U) boss and Chief and 66 people for rash driving, Ji on his birth anniversary. He “she has imbibed some of her Bhavan the Bengal Governor The statue was unveiled at and try to connect with her” as drew a blank. Minister Nitish Kumar firmly he said. was a statesman who rose greatness and quality of good Jagdeep Dhankhar who earlier the Throne Room of the his- “you can't disagree with a per- The only non-NDA party opposing the NRC exercise. Also, a total of 86 people above partisan politics for the governance from him.” invited the Chief Minister and toric Governor’s House. son by looking at him as an to have won a seat was the The JD(U) had voted in favour were taken into preventive cus- country’s good,” and reminded Vajpayee’s birth anniver- her senior cabinet colleagues to Saying the people on con- enemy. You need not agree on Congress, an RJD ally but a of the Citizenship (amend- tody, Sharma added. how “we miss him a lot.” sary is celebrated as Good the Raj Bhavan on the occasion stitutional posts should keep every point of view but that spent force in the State. The ment) Bill in Parliament. Elaborate security Known for her close chem- Governance Day across the of unveiling a portrait of the aside differences to honour does not make you enemies. magnitude of the NDAs victo- The year also saw the rare arrangements have put in place istry with both Vajpayee and country. former Prime Minister on their constitutional tasks Disagree with grace.” ry was stupendous. Of the 243 instance of a sitting High Court in and around the city as well LK Advani, the Trinamool He said quoting the Chief Thursday said he was “hurt” as Dhankhar said, “unfortunate- The leaders of the other assembly segments in the State, judge being stripped of his as areas bordering West Bengal Congress supremo who was a Minister how “unlike those no representative from the ly there is a very disturbing opposition parties like the BJP, parties outside the BJP-led jurisdiction by a bench of 11 to avert any attempt to disrupt Minister in the former’s cabi- who are in power today Mr State Government attended the trend ... There seems to be no the Left and the Congress had coalition could establish a lead judges which took exception to normal life during Christmas net had even received the for- Vajpayee or even Mr Advani programme. representation from the state ... also been invited to the in just 18. his averments on corruption in and New Year festivities, police mer Prime Minister at her would listen to the opposition “The CM is the executive This should not happen to a Governor’s house. In addition to weaknesses the judiciary. PTI sources said. PTI 7 & 4 5= &!7 6 ' ' ++ wednesday. “The Indian Army Gorakhpur (UP): The coun- n a major provocation, retaliated befittingly”, he try's first university for trans- IPakistani troops Wednesday added. gender community will be resorted to heavy shelling by On the other hand, opened in Uttar Pradesh's artillery guns in Uri sector in Director General of Kushinagar district to facilitate which one Junior Police Dilbagh Singh its members to study right Commissioned Officer (JCO) while chairing a high from class one to PG and even of the Indian Army lost his life level meeting at Police do research and get PhD while critically injured civilian control room in degree. The university, which woman succumbed to her Srinagar Wednesday will come up in Fazilnagar injuries at village Churanda. stressed on launching block of Kushinagar district, is Due to heavy exchange of intensified cordon and being built by the Akhil artillery firing in the area, ten- search operations to Bhartiya Kinnar Siksha Seva sion prevailed on both sides of flush out terrorists. Trust (All-India transgender the line of control. He emphasised on education service trust). In the last one week, Indian Pakistani troops used heavy said, Naseema wife of Mohd taking collective measures to “It is the first of its kind in army had decimated several calibre of weapons including Ikhlaq was killed due to firing tackle any situation and any the country where members of terror launch pads and other artillery guns to target the from Pakistan at Churanda in subversive act by the terrorists transgender community will be strategic assets of the Pakistan civilian areas on the Indian side Uri. and their masters across the able to get education and the army opposite Kupwara sector of the line of control. In Defence PRO in Jammu, border.Singh said, despite process of has already been ini- in strong retaliatory firing. response, Indian troops gave Lt-Col Devender Anand said, major successes against the tiated. From January 15 next According to official them befitting reply. “Pakistan army initiated unpro- terrorists security personnel year, two children who are sources, “Pakistani troops In the intense exchange of voked ceasefire violation by fir- shouldbrought up by the community resorted to 'unprovoked' firing firing in the forward areas, a ing of small arms and shelling continue their actions against members will get admission in Hajipeer area of Uri around JCO of the Indian army and a with mortars along LoC in them to ensure long and from February and March 11.30 am on Wednesday. woman lost their lives. Shahpur and Kirni sectors of lasting peace in Jammu & other classes will start,” presi- Ground reports suggested, Local police authorities Poonch around 6.00 p.m on Kashmir. dent of the trust said. PTI # ! # ) ! " 4 - 3 ## Srinagar: Kashmir reeled . 1 under cold conditions on Wednesday as the valley recorded sub-zero tempera- 1 4 country while on the other tures with Srinagar experienc- hand, Prime Minister Narendra ing the coldest night of the sea- ajasthan Chief Minister Modi says there has been no son so far, the meteorological RAshok Gehlot on discussion on NRC,” he department said. Wednesday said the country said. The minimum tempera- has remained united and inte- “Can someone lie bigger ture across Kashmir and grated today due to the policies than this to mislead the coun- Ladakh remained several and principles of the Congress try?” the Chief Minister said. degrees below the freezing Pahalgam resort, which also minus 6.7 degrees Celsius, formed under the guidance of Attacking the Modi point on Wednesday owing to serves as one of the base camps while Kupwara in the north, Mahatma Gandhi. Government for allegedly fail- clear sky, a MeT department for the annual Amarnath yatra registered the minimum of He said former Prime ing to address woes of farmers official said. in south Kashmir, settled at a minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, the Minister Indira Gandhi sacri- across the country, Gehlot said He said Srinagar recorded low of minus 11.4 degrees official said. ficed her life to keep the coun- in 2014, the Prime Minister the coldest night of the season Celsius as against minus 10.4 He said Leh town in the try integrated. said that he will double the so far as the minimum tem- degrees Celsius yesterday, he Union Territory of Ladakh “The country remained income of the farmers, but perature settled at minus 4.3 said. recorded a low of minus 17.8 united and integrated due to there seems to be no hope. degrees Celsius last night – 0.3 Pahalgam, in south degrees Celsius – one degree sacrifice of leaders of the “How long you will keep degrees down from minus 4.0 Kashmir's Anantnag district, down from minus 16.7 degrees Congress, its policies, pro- asking for votes in the name of 6 degrees Celsius the previous was the coldest recorded place Celsius on the previous night. grams and principles formed nationalism, Article 370 and 3 ! ) ! " night, leading to freezing of in the valley, he added. The The MeT department has under the guidance of Ram temple. People have water supply lines at several official said Qazigund – the forecast mainly dry weather for Mahatma Gandhi,” Gehlot said understood you. That is why places. gateway town to the valley - in the week ahead. Kashmir is while addressing a gathering in BJP Governments are losing The ski-resort of Gulmarg south Kashmir recorded a low currently under the grip of Palsana town of Sikar elections in states one by one. in north Kashmir recorded a of minus 9.4 degrees Celsius – 'Chillai-Kalan' - the 40-day district. After Rajasthan Madhya low of minus 9.0 degrees a decrease of nearly two harshest period of winter when “The biggest lie and joke Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, now Celsius last night – up from the degrees from minus 7.8 degrees the chances of snowfall are of this year is on one hand, the Congress is going to form previous night's minus 10.2 Celsius from the previous most frequent and maximum Union Home Minister Amit Government in Jharkhand degrees Celsius, he said. night. Kokernag town, also in and the temperature drops Shah says the government will because people have under- The night temperature at the south, recorded a low of considerably. PTI implement NRC in the entire stood them,” he added.
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ice President M Venkaiah # ?4 VNaidu has opined that the Chief Minister's Office, the Assembly, the High Court and Vadodara: Gujarat Chief er and crop insurance for vote the administrative machinery Minister Vijay Rupani on bank politics,” Rupani said. should be at one place. Efficient Wednesday accused the oppo- He also assured that water governance is possible only sition Congress of misleading would be provided for the Rabi when all organs of the State are farmers on loan waiver and season crops from check dams concentrated at one place, he crop insurance scheme for its and rivers. “The Gujarat said. “It is for the State “vote bank politics”. Government is committed Governments to decide where His Government has tomake farmers prosperous their respective Capitals should had always been in favour of “This is how decentralisation of announced a compensation and will give them power, be. I am saying this with 42 teaching in Telugu up to pri- development should be done,” package of 3,795 crore for water and remunerative prices years of experience,” he mary level of education. Even he added. crop loss due to unseasonal for their crops,” the chief min- said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Earlier, the Capital's farm- rain, which would cover over ister said. In an interaction with had talked about the ers met Naidu on Tuesday and 56 lakh farmers, he said, “Prior to 2000, total farm media persons at the Swarna importance of mother tongue explained to him their prob- addressing a farmers' conven- production in the State was Bharati Trust office at Atkuru a number of times, he lems. tion here. worth 4,500 crore, which has in Krishna district on said. After giving a patient hear- During the event, the chief now gone up to 1,40,000 crore,” Wednesday, he said he had not He said he was always ing to them, he assured that he minister distributed financial he said. “The Government has expressed his opinion to create committed to decentralisation would do what he could do to aid to affected farmers from the decided to give a massive pack- a controversy or from a polit- of administration and said that alleviate their pain and talk to districts of central Gujarat, age of 3,795 crore to farmers ical angle. Even if the Centre this was the reason why he the people concerned over the including Chhota Udepur, whose crops were hit by excess asked for his opinion ensured that at least one matter. Narmada, Bharuch and rains. The package covers he would tell the same, he Central institute was estab- He said he would always Vadodara. almost all 56.36 lakh farmers added. lished in every district when he make a contribution to the “Congress misleads farm- whose crops suffered damage,” The Vice President said he was the Union Minister. development of the State. ers on the issues of loan waiv- Rupani said. PTI % % ) ! " !"#!$%& 5
,R - 3 / ' State are going to the polls now Minister Edappadi Palaniswami municipality or president of 6 ,://1? as per the Supreme Court and Deputy Chief Minister panchayat. “See this man in order. Elections to the urban O Panneerselvam asserted that hardly 24. ampaigning for the election local bodies like municipalities, the party would score a thump- He has done his MBBS. + ? Cto the rural local bodies in corporations and the remain- ing win the polls. A hitherto You send him for MD or MS as 27 districts of Tamil Nadu ing panchayats would be held unseen and unheard spirit was he can excel in his profession,” came to an end on Wednesday after completion of the ward visible in the campaign for the the astrologer advised the evening. The two-phase polling delimitation exercise. rural local bodies. politician. “Guruji, we have will be held on December 27 Notwithstanding the Many leaders from both spent more than 75 lakh to and 30. The election to the Government order that election the AIADMK and the DMK get him admission for the rural and urban local bodies to the rural local bodies would were seen queuing up before MBBS and it is time we should have been completed by be held in an apolitical manner, astrologers to get to know what recouped that amount. He can November 2016 but got the two major parties in the the stars foretell for them as do his post graduation after his delayed because of a series of State, AIADMK and the DMK their wards. five year tenure as panchayat cases filed by the Opposition are the strong contenders for Though the Dravidian par- president,” said the father , a DMK alleging the non-com- controlling the panchayats. ties are known atheists and senior Dravidian party leader Pune: NCP chief Sharad Pawar pliance of the delimitation and The Two Leaves and the rationalists, they are behind in the State. has taught him how to grow reservation process as per the Rising Sun, symbols of the none in seeking the services of “These politicians hope to more from less as well as how 2011 census. AIADMK and the DMK fortune tellers. Amidst reports recover the amount they spent to form government after get- The delay in holding the respectively may be absent about the auctioning of the on the children from the devel- ting fewer seats than one's election to the local bodies have from the campaign fields but posts of panchayath president opment funds allocated to local rival, Maharashtra Chief affected the basic development top leaders of these parties are for the candidates sponsored by confident when he declared on the grand finale scheduled for to the highest bidder, a bodies. Some development is Minister Uddhav Thackeray works in panchayats and the star campaigners. All TV these parties. Wednesday that his party can- 2021, the assembly election. Dravidian politician had come taking place. Eerything is said on Wednesday. municipalities across the State. channels beamed visuals of M K Stalin, the choef of the didates would sweep the polls. The AIADMK, in a state- to consult a leading astrologer swachh Bharat,” said ace Thackeray was addressing Though there are 37 districts in AIADMK ministers and DMK DMK, fresh from the rallies For the DMK, this round of ment issued on Wednesday to know the chances of his son astrologer Murugadas Kutty the annual general meeting of the State, only 27 districts in the leaders actively campaigning against the CAA2019 sounded election is the semi final before and signed by the Chief becoming the chairman of a from Palakkad in Kerala. the Vasantdada Sugar Institute here. Pawar, who is the chair- man of the institute, was also present. E ' During his speech, Thackeray took a dig at former chief minister Devendra " ?-1% / P #23 Fadnavis, who has often stated that the BJP is the single largest party in the Assembly, though " *12 it lost power. “Sharad Pawar has taught 2 % 0 " & us how to grow more from less area of land, and also how to Kanpur (UP): A Special form government with less Investigation Team (SIT) was 4/6'3 /: institute, was also present. number of MLAs,” Thackeray, constituted on Wednesday to During his speech, who heads the Shiv Sena, probe cases of rioting registered member of the Sindhi community who migrated from aharashtra Chief Minister Thackeray took a dig at former quipped. here during recent protests APakistan in the 1990s and settled down in Aurangabad MUddhav Thackeray on chief minister Devendra The BJP and Sena fought against the Citizenship in Maharashtra is hopeful that he and others like him would Wednesday assured a com- Fadnavis over his statement the October 21 assembly polls Amendment Act (CAA). get Indian citizenship soon with the passage of the new plete farm loan waiver in the that the BJP was the single in together, but their alliance The SIT will be headed by amendment. state. largest party in the collapsed after the Sena walked Additional SP (Crime) Rajesh The controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act pro- Thackeray's statement Maharashtra assembly. out and joined hands with the Yadav, IG (Kanpur range) Mangaluru: The violent inci- Kumaraswamy for nursing organ- vides for grant of citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Parsis, came a day after the Shiv Sena- “Sharad Pawar has taught Congress and NCP. Mohit Agarwal said. dents during the anti-Citizenship isations creating trouble. Buddhists and Christians who migrated from Pakistan, led government formally us how to grow more from less The three parties formed Other members of the Amendment Act protests in They had withdrawn several Afghanistan and Bangladesh before 2015 due to persecu- approved a loan waiver scheme area of land, and also how to an unlikely coalition govern- team will include Circle Officer Mangaluru on cases registered against 1,600 tion. under which short-term crop form a Government with less ment of which Pawar is con- (Anwarganj), Station House December 19 was part of a pre- “criminals” belonging to Popular “We are expecting grant of citizenship with less paper- loan up to 2 lakh taken by number of MLAs in the leg- sidered the chief architect. Officer (Kakadev), SHO planned conspiracy by the Front of India (PFI) and released work now,” said Vikram Talreja, who is living here for near- farmers between April 1, 2015 islative assembly,” Thackeray, Thackeray also took a dig (Barra), a police Sub-Inspector Opposition parties, Udupi- them, she charged. ly three decades. to March 31, 2019, will be writ- who is Shiv Sena president, at Prime Minister Narendra and a prosecution officer, he Chikkamagaluru MP and former Karandlaje said it was a dis- He was speaking after taking part in a procession in sup- ten off. quipped. Modi. said. state minister Shobha Karandlaje turbance sponsored by the port of the CAA.”We arrived here from Pakistan in 1991, Under the scheme, short- The BJP and the Sena “I was told that this was the The SIT was constituted alleged Wednesday. Congress and a detailed investi- but we are still waiting for citizenship. The amended Act term restructured crop loan fought the October 21 assem- same venue where someone following the directives of the Addressing reporters here, gation was underway. has given us a ray of hope,” he said. arrears up to September 30, bly polls together, but their had said he came into politics Uttar Pradesh Director General she congratulated the city police She also put the blame on “We suffered a lot in Pakistan. There were frequent riots. 2019, will also be waived. alliance collapsed after the lat- holding Pawar's finger. of Police (DGP) for conducting for quelling the disturbances in an former State Minister and We applied to the Indian government for shelter and were “We have waived loans ter walked out and joined “I don't want to say that a fair probe into the cases of effective manner. Mangaluru MLA UT Khader for given long-term visa,” he said. worth 2 lakh (per farmer) as hands with the Congress and Pawar saheb has made anoth- violence. As many as four cases Hundreds of video clips cov- inciting violence. Kishanchand Tanwani, member of the Sindhi commu- immediate relief to cultiva- the NCP. The three parties er mistake by bringing me into - three with Beckonganj police ering the disturbances created by Students from Kerala who nity and local BJP leader, said there were around 90 Sindhi tors. But we will also make sure then formed the Maha Vikas politics,” he said. Modi had station and another with the violent mob have been had come here for education, are migrants from Pakistan living in the city. that their entire (crop) loan is Aghadi (MVA) government in said at a function at the insti- Babupurwa police station - received from citizens, she said. overstaying in hostels here and Earlier, the city had witnessed a huge protest march waived,” Thackeray said. November-end. Pawar is con- tute some years ago that Pawar, have been transferred to the She blamed the governments participating in protests, she against the CAA, which, its critics allege, discriminates He was addressing the sidered the chief architect of the then agriculture minister in the SIT. PTI led by Siddaramaiah and HD alleged. PTI against Muslims and violates the principle of secularism. annual general meeting of the ruling alliance, the first such UPA Government, guided him Vasantdada Sugar Institute political arrangement at the a lot when Modi was Gujarat here. NCP president Sharad state-level in Maharashtra's Chief Minister and was unfa- 1 Pawar, who is chairman of the history. PTI miliar with Delhi politics. PTI # + & + '(
Ahmedabad: Gujarat cabinet so it is my responsibility,” the ' Pune: Former Maharashtra also seen engaged in an ani- minister Kunvarji Bavaliya said minister said. deputy chief minister Vijaysinh mated chat. on Wednesday that he would “In 2008, the state govern- Puducherry: Puducherry Mohite Patil, whose son has Asked by reporters later help the ten persons including ment registered a false case Chief Minister joined the BJP, shared dais about his discussion with two Congress MLAs, convict- against me when I was VNarayanasamy on with Sharad Pawar at a func- Sharad Pawar, Mohite Patil ed for rioting in his support Congress MLA, and I was Wednesday sought the inter- tion here on Wednesday, and said he had met the NCP chief when he was arrested in 2008, arrested by the CID. Because of vention of President Ram Nath said later that he was still with two or three times after the Lok in legal fight. their love and affection, leaders Kovind to immediately recall Lt the Nationalist Congress Party. Sabha elections in April. Bavaliya, a five-time from my party (Congress) and Governor Kiran Bedi, saying Former Congress leader “I have not gone anywhere Congress MLA, joined the BJP members from my communi- she has been “impeding” Harshvardhan Patil, who else...My son has gone there (to only last year and was made ty called for my release,” implementation of various wel- switched loyalty to the BJP the BJP),” Mohite Patil told Water Supply and Animal Bavaliya, a prominent Koli fare measures and decisions of ahead of the Assembly elections reporters when asked if he Husbandry minister. leader, said. “A group of people, his cabinet. in October, also shared dais himself was still with the NCP. A court in Rajkot on including Congress MLAs and Talking to reporters here, with Pawar. On his chat with Ajit Tuesday sentenced 10 persons some leaders approached the the Chief Minister said he had The occasion -- annual Pawar, Harshvardhan Patil said including Congress MLAs Collector with a memoran- presented a detailed memo- general meeting of the they did not discuss politics. $5! $ ) ! " Bhikhabhai Joshi and dum against my arrest when an randum to the President dur- Vasantdada Sugar Institute -- “We had a discussion on Mohammad Javed Pirzada to agitated mob resorted to van- ing the latter'svisit to the Union also saw Patil sitting next to his agriculture-related issues,” he one year in jail. dalism,” he said. Territory on December 23 to arch rival and NCP leader Ajit said. Mohite Patil's son / They were accused of riot- Some of those convicted in participate in a convocation. Pawar and chatting with Ranjitsinh joined the BJP ahead ing and vandalising public the case, including Rajkot Dairy “I have requested the him.Mohite Patil, of the Lok Sabha polls this year. property during a protest after chairman Govind Ranpariya, President to intervene and Harshvardhan Patil and Sharad It is said to have soured the Bavaliya, then Congress MLA, Rajkot Co-operative Bank recall Kiran Bedi as Lt Pawar, who is the chairman of senior leader's ties with was arrested in a case of land director Gordhan Dhameliya Governor,” he said. He said he the research institute, were Pawar. PTI grabbing. The case was quashed and former MP Devji Fatepara, had pointed out in the memo- by the Gujarat High Court last later joined the BJP. State BJP randum that Bedi had not week. president Jitu Vaghani had contributed anything to the , ?' “The order sentencing attacked the opposition party development of Puducherry them to one year's imprison- over the convictions, saying it ever since he became the Lt Aurangabad (Maha): BJP ment is a court order, so it will showed the Congress' “mental- Governor. Narayanasamy had %,/: felicitation on Wednesday. MLA and former Speaker of have to be accepted. But I will ity to cause damage to society also stated that the Lt Governor Some of them spoke on the Maharashtra Assembly help them in filing appeal in and resort to vandalism” in the was functioning “arbitrarily” esidents of Bhiwandi near occasion, praising Shinde and Haribhau Bagde claimed here higher courts because they got light of the recent anti- and was seeking to run a par- RMumbai on Wednesday the police force. on Wednesday that no party into trouble because of me, and Citizenship law protests. PTI allel Government. PTI felicitated a police officer for Talking to reporters, opposed the Citizenship the police's deft handling of a Shinde said the police were (Amendment) Bill when it was huge protest march against the receiving praise on social media sent to a parliamentary panel. # Citizenship (Amendment) Act too. MPs of all parties were part ) ! " last week. The officials meticulously of the committee, so why non- Deputy Commissioner of planned security and used BJP parties were now raising a Police Rajkumar Shinde was drones, CCTVs and public hue and cry over the amended felicitated in the traditional address system to keep a watch act, he asked. Maharashtrian way, with gift of and manage the crowds, he Bagde was addressing a shawl and a `shri-fal' said. rally following a march from (coconut). Police communicated with Kranti Chowk to Aurangpura in Bhiwandi, a hub of power- protesters, assuring them that the city in support of the loom industry in Thane dis- they will get full cooperation, Citizenship (Amendment) Act trict, is considered communally he said. (CAA) and the proposed sensitive and had witnessed Shinde thanked the people National Register of Citizens major Hindu-Muslim riots in for maintaining peace.The con- (NRC). “It was decided to send the 1970s and 1980s. troversial Citizenship the bill to a joint committee in Nearly one lakh people (Amendment) Act provides which Members of Parliament came out on the streets last for grant of citizenship to of every party were included. Friday after namaz and took Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Parsis, They participated in its meet- part in a protest march against Buddhists and Christians who ings and did not oppose the bill, the CAA and the proposed migrated from Pakistan, so why are they opposing it National Register of Citizens Afghanistan and Bangladesh now,” he said. “This bill was (NRC). before 2015 due to there since 1955. Even (former But the protest passed off persecution. It has sparked off prime minister) Manmohan peacefully, ending after a mem- nation-wide protests. The Act's Singh, who was Leader of orandum was submitted to the critics allege that it discrimi- Opposition in the Rajya Sabha local authorities. nates against Muslims and vio- then, had demanded imple- A large number of Muslim lates the principle of secular- mentation of this law in 2003,” women participated in the ism. the BJP leader claimed. PTI !"#!$%& 4 + R 3/ 4
/:3: ,1 (COAI). And to survive, a prescribing for a floor tariff for in tariffs won’t take the sheen Airtel posted a staggering floor price is needed quickly, industry viability — an idea Jio off data consumption; the 23,045 crore net loss for the rom being the world’s before March 2020, he told PTI. had initially opposed on hunger for data will increase as second quarter ended Fcheapest and fastest grow- With 1 gigabyte (GB) of grounds that it would tanta- more and more Indians trans- September 30, due to provi- ing market, India’s telecom mobile data costing just $0.26 mount of giving up industry act online, buy clothes and sioning of 28,450 crore in the sector is sputtering as it faces compared to $12.37 in the US right of forbearance, Telecom indulge in online shopping aftermath of the SC ruling on life-threatening liability run- and $6.66 in the UK, India in Regulatory Authority of India and simply binge-watch the lat- statutory dues. ning into billions of dollars, a 2019 emerged as the nation (Trai) quickly moved in to est shows on video-streaming Both Airtel and Vodafone crisis that may alter the char- with the cheapest telecom tar- float consultation paper to fix- platforms. Greater speeds, Idea have petitioned the gov- acter of an industry that has iff in the world. It was also the ing minimum rates. smarter phones would aid that ernment for relief in waiver of already seen a painful price war fastest-growing telecom market. COAI — the association process, it argues. interest and penalty, which destroying profits and pushed But below the surface, a that represents Airtel and other “Still, the floor price is will halve the dues, and also several operators out of the price war since the 2016 launch operators — wants the regula- certainly needed to bring cer- filed a review petition in the market. of Jio had ringed the sector hal- tor to bring floor prices for data tain discipline back into the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court order low. And when on October 24, at the earliest, before March, marketplace. We have funda- The year, however, brought for including non-core rev- the Supreme Court, on a peti- arguing that mature mobile mentally gone from an all voice cheer to state-owned telecom enue in telecom groups’ gross tion moved by the govern- market merits such safeguards network to a hybrid network, companies MTNL and BSNL. adjusted revenue — the figure ment, ordered payment of past for investors. to soon an all data network. In The Government recently on which the levies are charged dues according to its new def- And shocking loss num- a voice network, the de facto approved a plum 69,000 crore — revived the rivalry between inition of AGR, the country’s bers only led the telecom floor was the interconnect revival package for the two tel- the old operators and Mukesh second-biggest carrier industry to seek doing away charge, question is, in the new cos that were in news over Ambani’s low-cost upstart Vodafone-Idea Ltd warned of with the “obsolete mechanism” world of data what should it delay in salary payment for the Reliance Jio during 2019, but shut down if no relief is given. of AGR, in the best-case sce- be,” Mathews said. most part of the year. there are signs of a truce with The total dues for the nario, and if not, certainly a Mittal whose company is in The revival package the rival camps agreeing to industry ran into a whopping redefinition. the midst of $3 billion dollar includes merging the two loss- raise tariffs and also favouring 1.47 lakh crore. The industry is also pin- fund raising to help pay off making firms, monetizing their regulator’s intervention in fix- For an industry that has ning its hopes on fixation of AGR dues, has sought Trai’s assets and giving VRS to ing floor or minimum tariffs. come from 7-8 operators to just com czar Sunil Bharti Mittal biggest operator in terms of Government announced a two- floor price by the regulator to urgent intervention in the tele- employees so that the com- “We have fundamentally three private players and state- and billionaire Kumar subscribers. year deferment on spectrum put an end to the sustained com sector saying, “We are bined entity turns profitable in gone from an all (mobile) voice owned fourth operator, the Mangalam Birla of Vodafone- Airtel and Voda-Idea payments for the stressed tele- hemorrhaging of players and unnecessarily killing this indus- two years. Nearly 92,700 (calling) network to a hybrid warning by Vodafone-Idea Idea. reported record financial loss- com companies as it worked to has also urged the Finance try in a manner and way that employees of BSNL and MTNL network (of voice and internet sounded like a death knell. Mittal and Birla had faced es but Jio continued to surprise avoid the sector becoming a Ministry to substantially cut is not conducive...” have opted for voluntary retire- data), to soon an all data net- The year saw resurfacing of the brunt of brute competition the markets with astonishing monopoly, soon after the three levies to give the industry a He underlined the need for ment, which is expected to save work,” said Rajan Mathews, a bitter war of words between unleashed by Ambani, as Jio ate profits through the year. operators signalled the end of fighting chance. a balance between protecting about 8,800 crore annually in Director General of Cellular the old and the new operator, into their user base and quick- The representations to the price war by raising tariffs. The industry body remains investments and consumer salary bills for the debt-laden Operators’ Association of India and intense lobbying by tele- ly grew to become the nation’s government, worked. The Mittal lobbied for regulator optimistic that a recent increase interest. telecom companies. 5-$ * 3 & 5 & Q / 6 R
* /:3: ,1 holders. The committee will be nature. The committee will /:3: ,1 five goods. Talking to PTI, “It has become tendency of constituted for a period of 2 meet once every quarter or Chand said that when a large every sector to ask for lower /:3: ,1 he GST Council will set up years and the term of each more frequently as decided by overnment think-tank Niti taxation reforms like GST are GST. I feel GST issues are Ta grievance redressal mech- member will be for likewise, the co-chairs. GAayog member Ramesh brought in, there are always much larger than asking for lagging concerns over anism for taxpayers.The deci- said the statement. “For time-bound handling Chand on Wednesday made a “teething problems” but soon rates,” Chand said. Funpaid dues, an Air India sion was taken at the 38th If any member of the panel of grievances and accountabil- case for only two slabs under they stabilise. He said most of And, “we should not fiddle pilots’ union has urged the gov- meeting of the GST Council would be absent for three con- ity, GSTN shall develop a por- the goods and service tax the countries took long time for with rates or change rates fre- ernment to allow their mem- held on December 18. secutive meetings, without ade- tal for recording all such griev- regime as against the multiple GST stabilisation. quently... We should not have bers to quit the debt-laden It has decided that a struc- quate reasons, the member ances (including their scanned slabs currently, and said rates The Niti Aayog member, many rates. Have only two carrier without serving notice tured grievance redressal will be replaced with a fresh images) and their disposal. should be revised annually if who looks after the agriculture rates,” he said. period. mechanism should be estab- nomination by the principal “It shall be the responsi- required. sector, is also strictly against Chand said the focus As the Government works lished for the taxpayers under chief commissioner/chief com- bility of the co-chairs of the The goods and services frequent changes in GST rates should be on steady increase in out the modalities for the sale GST to tackle grievances on missioner of central tax in grievance redressal committees tax (GST), which replaced as it leads to problems. The all- revenue collection from the of the national carrier, the GST-related issues of specific consultation with the chief to ensure timely entry of the almost all the indirect taxes, powerful GST Council, new indirect tax regime rather Indian Commercial Pilots’ and general nature, an official commissioner/ commissioner grievances and updating the came into force from July 1, presided over by the Union than tinkering with rates. He Association (ICPA) has also statement said on Wednesday. of state tax. status of their disposal on the 2017, and the rates on goods finance minister and compris- prescribed that if at all rates warned that they are in no The council will set up the Functions of the commit- portal,” the statement said. and services have been revised ing state finance ministers, need to be changed, it should position to work amid uncer- Grievance Redressal tee include examining and The details of action taken several times since then. decides on rate for particular be done annually. tainty over the airline’s future. Committee (GRC) at zonal resolving all the grievances on all issues will be displayed Currently, there are four goods and services. On demands of lower GST The grouping represent for clearing their legitimate and state levels consisting of and issues being faced by the on the portal, which shall be GST rate slabs -- 5 per cent, 12, Besides frequent demand on process food, like dairy nearly 800 Air India pilots dues without any further delay. both central tax and state tax taxpayers, including proce- available for viewing to all per cent, 18 per cent and 28 per for reduction in the rates on var- products, Chand, an agri econ- who fly narrow body planes. In a warning, the grouping officers, representatives of trade dural difficulties and IT-relat- stakeholders to check cent. Several items fall in ious goods and services, there omist, said the 5 per cent GST They have written a strong- said, “our patience is running and industry and other goods ed issues pertaining to GST, the status of the resolution, it exempt category or nil duty. has also been clamour for a slash on such products is “very very ly-worded letter to Minister of thin and we are in no position and services tax (GST) stake- both of specific and general added. Besides, cess is also levied on in the number of tax slabs. reasonable”. State for Civil Aviation to continue working with Hardeep Singh Puri regarding uncertainty looming large at their dues. Air India”. $,57-"*7$*-,-8 $ 3 “...Your statement that if “We do not want to face the O" 1@D Air India is not privatised by same fate as other employees of 31st March 2020 then Air India 21 private carriers that have 4 will be shut down, is a matter shut down and further add to of concern,” the letter said. the rising unemployment in $ 8! P Citing the uncertainty over India,” the letter, dated the airline’s future, the group- December 23, said. & %7";7 /:3: ,1 2019. The Act ratifies the Hong GDP will grow to USD 2.2 bil- ing asked the minister to ensure As per the letter, they are Kong convention and facilitat- lion from present $1.3 billion. that they “are not treated like yet to receive the flying ,:/63 nearly two years in a bruising hinese and Japanese stocks ith a new legislation in ing environment friendly recy- Terming the Act as “a hall- bonded labour and allow us to allowance for October. trade war that has hit the glob- Cdeclined Wednesday while Wplace, India eyes to gar- cling process of ships and ade- mark moment in the Indian quit Air India without serving “We have been living with hina made overtures on al economy. On Friday US most other Asian markets were ner at least 60 per cent of the quate safety of the yard work- maritime history”, Mandaviya the notice period and clear all uncertainty for the past 2 - Ctrade to Japan and South President Donald Trump touted closed for Christmas Day. global ship recycling business ers. said it is part of ongoing major our dues immediately”. 3years, and as a result, many Korea and offered support for a “very good talk” he had held Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 lost 0.1 and emerge as a key destination “The US and other coun- reforms and Prime Minister The notice period is six employees have defaulted on an infrastructure initiative as it with China’s President Xi Jinping per cent to 23,806.72 while the for recycling warships and tries do not send their ships to Narendra Modi government’s months. their loan and other payments. hosted the leaders of its two on a deal to resolve the dispute. Shanghai Composite Index was other ships, according to Union India for recycling but now that commitment towards making Air India has a debt burden This has greatly affected our neighbours this week amid However details of the so- off 2 points at 2,982.80. Minister Mansukh Lal we have ratified the Hong India a $5 trillion economy. of more than Rs 58,000 crore. livelihood and our families,” it strained ties with the US. called “phase one” deal between Malaysia’s benchmark was Mandaviya. Kong conventions, we expect The Act is expected to The ICPA has also asked added. Chinese Premier Li the world’s two largest down 0.6 per cent while Taiwan Holding the independent the numbers to swell,” the min- raise the brand value of ship Keqiang said Wednesday at a economies have yet to be pub- gained nine points. charge of the Shipping ister told PTI in an recycling yards located at Alang meeting with Japanese Prime lished in writing, with officials Wall Street ended nearly Ministry, he also exuded con- interview. in Gujarat, Mumbai Port, Minister Shinzo Abe that citing incomplete translation flat Tuesday in a shortened fidence that contribution from “India, Bangladesh, China Kolkata Port and Azhikkal in Beijing was willing to strength- and legal work. trading session before closing ship recycling activities to the and Pakistan account for recy- Kerela and will also enhance en economic cooperation with Meanwhile relations for Christmas Day. country’s GDP would reach cling about 90 per cent of the availability of steel. Japan in third-country markets. between the pair have been fur- US markets reopen USD 2.2 billion, almost double global ships. India’s share at “Ten per cent of country’s At the meeting on the side- ther strained by US legislators’ Thursday.The benchmark S&P compared to the current level. present stands at 30 per cent or secondary steel needs, as an lines of a trilateral summit in support for the pro-democra- 500 index slipped less than 0.1 According to Mandaviya, 70 lakh gross tonnage of ships outcome of Recycling of Ships the southwestern city of cy movement in Hong Kong, per cent to 3,223.38. Gujarat’s Alang, the world’s per annum which is bound to Act, will be met in an eco- Chengdu, Li added that China and their condemnation of the The Dow Jones Industrial biggest shipyard, is ready to go to at least 60 per cent given friendly manner,” the minister would “further open up its ser- mass internment of Muslim Average dropped 0.1 per cent, cater to projected increase in 95 of the 131 plots at Alang said, adding that direct jobs vices industry” to Japan. minorities in the western to 28,515.45. The Nasdaq com- the number of ships for recy- (are) developing these as per from recycling sector were During a separate meeting Chinese region of Xinjiang. posite gained 0.1 per cent to cling. Hong Kong conventions, likely to double to around on Monday with South Korean Li stressed on Wednesday 8,952.88. Investors have been Currently, India recycles paving way for ships from 90,000. President Moon Jae-in, Li said the importance of China’s trade encouraged by plans for an around 300 of the 1,000 ships Europe, Japan, US and other Another area of focus will China was willing to work on ties with Japan and South interim US-Chinese trade deal which are demolished per countries to be recycled here,” be increasing the number of a rail network linking Korea Korea, saying their vast volume despite having seen few details. annum globally. However, he noted. seafarers as India with 12 per with China and Europe, of trade was due to the “joint US recession fears have countries like Japan, Europe Further, the minister said cent of the world’s population Yonhap news agency reported. protection of regional stability faded after the Federal Reserve and the US were not sending there are 53,000 merchant ships has just about 7 per cent of the Li’s remarks come as China and peace”. China, Japan and cut interest rates three times. their ships for recycling to globally and out of them, 1,000 seafarers market. On the other and the United States edge clos- South Korea held a summit on The central bank appears set to India in the absence of ratifi- are recycled annually. Once hand, countries like Philippines er to an initial trade agreement Tuesday that also touched on a keep them low for a long time. cation of a global convention. more ships will start coming to with just 2 per cent of the after imposing tariffs on billions planned free-trade agreement Energy markets were That scenario is set to change India for demolition, the ship world’s population has grabbed of dollars worth of goods over between the three nations. closed for the holiday. with the Recycling of Ships Act, recycling’s contribution to the 20 per cent global share. 6 7
/:3: ,1 resolution will be attempted to functions necessary for carry- notification said. be arrived at within 3 months. ing out conciliation and medi- The committee acting as ith overhang of disputes India’s oil and gas sector ation proceedings for resolu- conciliator or mediator will be Wchoking investments in has been plagued by disputes tion of the disputes between the allowed to take services of the oil and gas sector, the gov- from cost recovery to produc- parties as per the provisions of third-party or expert agency to ernment has constituted an tion targets, and companies as the Arbitration and aid and assist it in discharge of expert committee for time- well as the government have Conciliation Act, 1996, and its functions as and when bound resolution of explo- resorted to lengthy and costly endeavour that the parties required. ration and production disputes arbitration followed by judicial arrive at a settlement agree- Upon receipt of a request without having to resort to review — a process that takes ment within three months referring dispute for resolution, tardy judicial process. years to resolve differences. from the date of the the committee shall conduct The ‘Committee of The notification said the first meeting of the committee,” the conciliation or mediation External Eminent committee will arbitrate on a it said. proceedings. “The proceed- Persons/Experts’ for dispute dispute between partners in a The members and the par- ings shall be based on the resolution will comprise former contract or with the govern- ties may, however, extend the principles of fairness, justice oil secretary G C Chaturvedi, ment over commercial or pro- time for arriving at a settlement and good conscience,” it said. Oil India Ltd former head duction issues for oil and gas. agreement by mutual agree- For procedural aspect, the Bikash C Bora and Hindalco “Any dispute or difference ment. committee will be guided by Industries Ltd Managing arising out of a contract relat- conciliation or mediation and referred to panel, the parties “The members of the com- the Arbitration and Director Satish Pai, according ing to exploration blocks/ fields further agree to not invoke cannot resort to arbitration or mittee shall at all times remain Conciliation Act, 1996, and the to an official notification. of India can be referred to the arbitration proceedings there- court case to resolve it. impartial to the parties during venue of the conciliation or The panel will have a committee, if both parties to after,” it said. “The committee shall exer- the course of the conciliation or mediation proceedings shall tenure of three years and the the contract agree in writing for Once a resolution has been cise all powers and discharge all mediation proceedings,” the be New Delhi. !"#!$%& 44 9 / Q: R- 78 )
+': , Washington’s actions. In New York, UN 0 ) Trump, who is in Florida for spokesman Stephane Dujarric resident Donald Trump has the holidays, had just finished was asked whether Secretary- Psaid that North Korean thanking service members from General Antonio Guterres had leader Kim Jong Un may be each branch of the military via a message for Kim on Christmas 9 ) planning to give him “a nice pre- satellite when he was asked Eve regarding a “Christmas gift.” sent” such as a “beautiful vase” about North Korea. He opted for “Our message is to the 7 637 67 wounded. for Christmas rather than a a wait-and-see approach. leadership of the Democratic The president has declared missile launch. “Maybe it’s a present where People’s Republic of Korea to ihadists in Burkina Faso 48 hours of national mourning. The president was asked he sends me a beautiful vase as work for peace and stability on Jkilled 35 civilians, almost all The morning raid was car- what he will do if North Korea opposed to a missile test,” the Korean Peninsula and to of them women, when they ried out by dozens of jihadists does conduct a long-range Trump said on Tuesday. “I resume working level talks simultaneously attacked a town on motorbikes and lasted sev- missile test. may get a nice present from with the United States. in the north and its military eral hours before armed forces The North has threatened him. You don’t know. You Diplomatic engagement is the base in one of the deadliest backed by the air force drove the to take unspecified action if never know.” Nuclear talks only pathway to sustainable assaults in nearly five years of militants back, the army said. sanctions are not eased by the between the US and North peace and complete denu- jihadist violence in the West No group immediately end of the year, and speculation Korea have been stalled since clearisation and verifiable African country. claimed responsibility for the has centered on the possibility a February summit between denuclearisation of the Korean Seven soldiers and 80 attack, but jihadist violence in of a new missile test, possibly Trump and Kim fell apart. Peninsula,” Dujarric said. jihadists also died in the double Burkina Faso has been blamed of an intercontinental ballistic A new satellite image of a 6 attack Tuesday in Arbinda in on militants linked to both Al missile capable of delivering a factory where North Korea " % ! !%3 6 Soum province which lasted Qaeda and Islamic State nuclear warhead. makes military equipment used 6 ) .&3! 8 “several hours” and was of a groups. The North has said that its to launch long-range missiles 6 6 5 & M N “rare intensity”, the army said. Leaders of the G5 Sahel “Christmas gift” to the United shows the construction of a M N ! Burkina Faso, bordering nations held summit talks in States will depend on new structure. Mali and Niger, has seen reg- Niger earlier month, calling for ular jihadist attacks which have closer cooperation and inter- left hundreds dead since the national support in the battle start of 2015 when militant vio- against the Islamist threat. " O P O? *P4&3! lence began to spread across Militant violence has the Sahel region. spread across the vast Sahel “A large group of terrorists region, especially in Burkina +': , Hotel in New York, where sev- simultaneously attacked the Faso and Niger, having started 8 4 eral scenes for the 1992 film military base and the civilian when armed Islamists revolted ong before taking up resi- were shot. population in Arbinda,” the in northern Mali in 2012. Ldence in the White House, “It’s an honour to be army chief of staff said in a The Sahel region of Africa Donald Trump appeared in involved in something like statement. lies to the south of the Sahara “Home Alone 2” - a turn on the that,” said the president, who “This barbaric attack Desert and stretches across big screen he described as an appeared briefly in the movie. resulted in the deaths of 35 the breadth of the African ,7/6"7/6 comparative calm for a city “honour.” In the film, little Kevin - civilian victims, most of them continent. upended by more than six Trump spoke with played by Macaulay Culkin women,” President Roch Marc There are 4,500 French ong Kong’s Christmas cel- months of often-violent deployed members of the mil- and again separated from his Christian Kabore added on troops deployed in the region Hebrations were marred by protests. itary on Tuesday, and one parents - struggles to find his Twitter, praising the “bravery as well as a 13,000-strong UN sporadic clashes between police Police used tear gas, rubber asked him about his appear- way through the gilded hotel. and commitment” of the peacekeeping force in Mali to and pro-democracy activists on bullets and pepper spray on ance in the Christmas film. He stops a man in a long defence and security forces. fight insurgents. Wednesday as the city’s pro- Christmas Eve in multiple loca- “I was a little bit younger, black overcoat and red tie to ask Communications minister The G5 group is made up Beijing leader said the festive tions while protesters respond- to put it mildly... It turned out him for directions to the lobby. with The Hollywood Reporter Trump is thus - most of the and government spokesman of Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali, season was being “ruined” by ed with throwing sporadic to be a very big hit, obviously. “Down the hall and to the that the businessman would time playing himself - in the Remis Dandjinou later said 31 Mauritania and Niger, whose demonstrators. petrol bombs, blocking roads It’s a big Christmas hit, one of left,” replies Trump. allow films to be shot in his credits of some 20 films and of the civilian victims were impoverished armies have the Police used pepper spray and vandalising businesses the biggest,” said Trump, who Actor Matt Damon buildings as long as he received series, including “Zoolander” women, adding around 20 sol- support of French forces as well and tear gas as activists held deemed to be sympathetic to had just acquired the Plaza claimed in a 2017 interview a part. and “Sex and the City.” diers and six civilians were as the UN in Mali. small flashmob protests in the Government. malls and multiple districts across the city. In Mong Kok, an area that % 0 has seen frequent clashes over the last six months, police fired multiple rounds of tear gas to disperse crowds that were heck- ling officers, an AFP reporter 0 :; # at the scene said. Pepper spray was also used in at least two malls as police "' However, Bismillah Watandost of the trol practically half of Afghanistan and are and protesters clashed. Multiple People’s Peace Movement of Afghanistan, at their strongest since the 2001 US-inva- young protesters were detained, he Taliban ambushed a peace convoy to which the activists belong, said that 27 sion. They continue to stage near-daily some by plainclothes police Tin western Afghanistan and abducted of their members were abducted by the attacks targeting Afghan and US forces, as who had mixed with the 26 activists, members of a peace movement, Taliban in the Farah assault. The different well as government officials — even as they crowds, according to live local a police spokesman said on Wednesday. figures could not immediately be reconciled. hold peace talks with a US envoy tasked TV broadcasts. The insurgents staged the ambush in The Taliban, who have been active in with negotiating an end to the 18-year con- Wednesday’s skirmishes the district of Bala Buluk in Farah province Farah, have not claimed responsibility for flict, America’s longest war. were less sustained than those on Tuesday. The Taliban forced the six- the abductions. However, Watandost also The latest rallies by the activists from on Christmas Eve, when battles vehicle convoy to a halt, then got into the said that tribal elders in the province the People’s Peace Movement of between democracy activists cars and drove them and the activists to immediately launched an effort to nego- Afghanistan started on Friday, first in and riot police swept through an unknown location, said the provincial tiate with the Taliban to release the southern Helmand province, a Taliban a major shopping district for police spokesman Mohibullah Mohib. abducted activists. heartland. hours. According to Mohib, a police opera- He added that phone lines were down At a similar series of peace rallies in That evening’s unrest was tion is underway to locate and free the in the region, making communication and October, the Taliban abducted six activists the most serious in what has activists whose convoy was going village- getting information from the area difficult. from the movement in eastern Logar otherwise been a few weeks of ? 6 ) ! to-village to rally for peace. The Taliban today hold sway or con- province but released them the same day. 79 / ' : B + O#D P " -,1/6%7/ Wayne Oliver, was arrested in a nearby Starbucks after the white-bearded man robbed event and without incident, Aa bank two days before Colorado police department 7/37/ Christmas, but threw the stolen confirmed. cash in the air and wished Officers also told local he British royals attended passers-by a merry Christmas, media that there was no indi- Tthe Christmas Day church US media reported. cation that Oliver was armed at services at Sandringham in Colorado police confirmed Monday. the time of his arrest. Norfolk on Wednesday. in a statement an “older white “He started throwing Passers-by reportedly The Queen arrived alone male” robbed the Academy money out of the bag and then attempted to return some of the for the service as the Duke of Bank in Colorado Springs after said, ‘Merry Christmas!” wit- stolen money to the bank, wit- Edinburgh, her husband, is threatening workers with an ness Dion Pascale told local sta- nesses told local media, but an convalescing after being dis- unidentified weapon and leav- tion KKTV 11 News. officer told the Denver Post charged from hospital on ing with an unknown amount A man, identified by that thousands of dollars Tuesday. of money around midday police as 65-year-old David remain missing. Other royals attended the main 11 a.m. service, BBC reported. 1 Prince Andrew and Prince 5 Charles attended an earlier service at St Mary Magdalene Church. ' $ > = 3 .! " ) ! ,/ ?+ 0,-. %:,4/ " O$ ) n Iranian military fighter ' Ajet crashed on Wednesday 31/1;, being beholden to powerful ' ! near a dormant volcano in the neighbour Iran, an influential O P GHG#IP %% northwest of the country and raqi anti-government pro- actor in Iraqi politics. / its pilot was missing, official Itesters again hit the streets Passions were inflamed /:;74" The aerospace giant has 3# media reported. Wednesday, angered by an when popular TV satirist Aws faced scrutiny over its decision Vatican City: Pope Francis security.” # State news agency IRNA activist’s death and an attempt Fadhil was targeted Tuesday by oeing has provided a fresh to keep flying the plane after the appealed for peace in many of He used his “Urbi et Orbi” said the jet went down at 9:00 am on the life of a popular TV unknown assailants, with three Bbatch of incriminating doc- first crash and to brush off safe- the world’s hotspots, singling (To the City and the World) $ (0530 GMT) near Mount satirist. bullets hitting his car. uments on the 737 MAX to ty concerns of some employees, out the crises in the Middle speech to call for a resolution Sabalan, in the Lesser Caucasus The latest rallies in Fadhil posted footage of regulators and congressional and over whether it sacrificed East, Venezuela and Lebanon to the crisis in Lebanon, where 23 ? range, and was a MiG-29 on a Baghdad and cities including the bullet holes on social media investigators, only hours after safety in the race to develop a as well as armed conflicts rav- he hoped for a return to “har- test flight after being overhauled. Basra and Karbala came after and declared: “They are tar- announcing a leadership plane to compete with an Airbus aging many African countries. monious coexistence”. (+ Amateur video footage a night of unrest that saw pro- geting those who support the shakeup. jet. US regulators also have been “May Christ bring his light In the Middle East, notably FH$@A published on the social media testers torch the headquarters revolution, to silence them ... The document dump came criticized for a too-cozy rela- to the many children suffering Iraq and Yemen, the pope - # accounts of various media out- of two pro-Iran militias in the But we are continuing our rev- just before Christmas, when tionship with the company it is from war and conflicts in the lamented that “so many people 3 lets in Iran appeared to show country’s south. olution.” He added that “we many officials already are on hol- charged with overseeing. Middle East and in various - struggling but not discour- 8 3 9 smoke rising above snow- The demonstrators have have already achieved a goal”, iday, and “appear to point to a The Federal Aviation countries of the world,” the 83- aged - still await a time of $ capped peaks. rallied for almost three months referring to a parliamentary very disturbing picture” about Administration confirmed it year-old pontiff said in his peace, security and prosperity.” Fars news agency said the to demand the ouster of the vote Tuesday to approve an Boeing’s response to safety issues received what appear to be the traditional Christmas message The Argentinian pope, not- ! plane had been found but there entire political class that has electoral reform law, in line regarding the 737 MAX, a con- same documents Monday after- at the Vatican. ing that in South America “a ! was no trace of its pilot and that run the oil-rich yet poverty-rid- with the demands of the pro- gressional aide said. noon, a few hours after Boeing “May he bring comfort to number of nations are experi- # ()% - he could have ejected from the den country in the aftermath of testers. The aide said Boeing sent ousted Dennis Muilenburg as the beloved Syrian people who encing a time of social and aircraft. the 2003 US-led invasion which Lawmakers will from now the documents “late in the chief executive amid his much- still see no end to the hostili- political upheaval,” urged that : A search and rescue oper- overthrew dictator Saddam be elected in first-past-the- evening” Monday to congres- criticized handling of MAX cri- ties that have rent their coun- “the beloved Venezuelan peo- % $% 3 ation was underway for the Hussein. post contests within electoral sional staff investigating the sis. Boeing said it “proactively” try over the last decade,” he ple... Receive the aid they need.” 1 @E$IM pilot, who the army identified The mostly youthful districts, rather than through a issues with the aircraft, which has contacted the FAA and Congress said, urging the international He said the continent’s # I$H@ # as Colonel Mohammadreza activists accuse Iraq’s leaders of complex system using provin- been grounded since March fol- “as part of our commitment to community to find solutions to crises and “many forms of FM#AHA$BA$ Rahmani, one of its most expe- enriching themselves, mis- cial party lists and propor- lowing two crashes that killed transparency,” a company allow the peoples of that region poverty... Offend the dignity of rienced fliers. managing the economy and tional representation. 346 people. spokesman said in email. to live together in peace and each person.” AFP 4 !"#!$%& ))98: 1%: % 8 . . '3
established winter break. The German top-flight closes down for several weeks in December and January, with Rodgers saying the English break was a “let’s pretend” version. Liverpool will be without Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after the mid- fielder suffered an ankle injury against Flamengo as Jurgen Klopp’s side, unbeaten in the Premier League this season, bid to go 13 points clear and all but end the title-race before by the halfway stage. “If anyone wants to think things are over before they are over we cannot stop them doing that, though it is not important to us,” said Liverpool man- ) ager Klopp. “As a group we are pretty good at shutting the doors all around us to keep # # out the noise from outside,” the German 9 5 ! added. < =17># . ' # J Fourth-placed Chelsea, fresh from -) -;*-+ 9 a 2-0 win away to Tottenham Hotspur :1 :-%:4 marred by allegation of racist abuse, are ,://1 at home to Southampton while Spurs eicester City face runaway Premier will be without the suspended Son hennaiyin FC’s mini- LLeague leaders Liverpool on Boxing Heung-min for the visit of Brighton Crevival of sorts will be put to Day knowing their own title hopes are after the South Korean’s red card against test when they face table-toppers FC Goa in their very much in the balance. the Blues. Indian Super League match at the Jawaharlal Today’s match will see the second- Mikel Arteta’s reign as Arsenal Nehru stadium here today. placed Foxes, the shock 2015/16 cham- manager starts away to Bournemouth, The Marina Machans have been in good pions, kick off 10 points adrift of < <# while new Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti form of late and are unbeaten in the last four Liverpool, who will arrive in the East < '17> . is in charge at home to Burnley. games — two draws and two wins. The recent Midlands fresh from winning a maid- -) -* *$-< Newcastle, managed by former Old revival of form, spearheaded by new coach en Club World Cup title following a 1- Trafford favourite Steve Bruce, will Owen Coyle, has seen them overcome a disas- 0 victory over Brazilian side Flamengo ' P 5 # 5 ? ' 'J look to complete a league double over trous start to the season where they managed in Qatar. Manchester United with both sides to get only a point from the first four matches. One of the more remarkable statis- however, is the packed programme of They then complete four Liverpool manager who presently level on 25 points and look- The team is currently placed eighth on the tics in English football is that it is near- matches that take place during the games in 10 days with a trip to added that Vardy, for all he ing to break into the top six. table but a win over FC Goa can propel them ly 30 years since Liverpool were last Christmas and New Year holiday peri- Newcastle on New Year’s Day, has scored 16 goals this term, Sheffield United face Watford, still to the sixth spot. However, it will not be an easy crowned domestic champions in what od. before hosting Wigan in the FA had “no chance” of being bottom despite last week’s win over task. was then the First Division. The congested schedule is again Cup on January 4. involved throughout the fes- Manchester United. FC Goa are also in good form and are on top But Premier League silverware is causing headaches for managers, with This presents Rodgers with tive period. “We’re halfway through this season of the table with 18 points from nine matches. now in sight following a successful 2019 Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers saying the a problem about how often to This season sees the and we knew this season was going to They are also on a three-match winning run, that has also seen Liverpool take the fixture list is a “nonsense”. field Jamie Vardy, the league’s Premier League experiment- be a season of some ups and downs,” with the last game against Odisha ending 3-0 in Champions League and UEFA Super Leicester kick off against Liverpool leading scorer so far this season, ing with a ‘winter break’ that said Manchester United manager Ole their favour. The Gaurs will see today’s match Cup trophies back to Anfield as well as at 20:00 GMT today before they play given the striker is now aged 32. will see all teams get a week- Gunnar Solskjaer. as an opportunity to consolidate their position the Club World Cup. West Ham on Saturday. “The game is about money now. You end off in February. Meanwhile reigning champions in the top-four. One of the enduring peculiarities of can’t say it’s about the welfare of play- But that pales into insignificance Manchester City are away to Wolves Coyle will want his star forward Nerijus the English game that has not changed, ‘GAME ABOUT MONEY NOW’ ers,” insisted Rodgers, himself a former compared to the Bundesliga’s long- tomorrow. Valskis to continue his purple patch. The Lithuanian forward has scored five goals in the last four games and is third on the goal scoring charts. In fact, he has contributed 62.5 per cent 6 % " of Chennaiyin’s goal, indicating the home team’s reliance on their lead striker. However, much will also depend on ers and we could have scored Lallianzuala Chhangte who opened his tally for more.” ,!,! the season in their previous match against Kerala Mason Robertson’s impressive Blasters. His pace and ability to penetrate shift in Imphal asserted the value defences will be of use for Coyle’s side who will he brings to the Kashmir squad. /:3: ,1 be expected to defend stoutly against a posses- His two-goal-show featured a sion-hungry Goa side. clinical finish that ndian tennis icon Leander Paes on Wednesday Chennaiyin will need to improve their set- ? went in off the inside Iannounced that he will bring the curtains down piece record as well. They have struggled with < ':1>># . of the woodwork for on his illustrious career in 2020, which will be his dead-ball situations, both offensively and defen- ") - his first and a text- farewell season on the Pro-circuit. sively, this season. They have scored just one goal book header that lev- His cupboard overflowing with hundreds of from set-pieces and conceded four goals from elled the scores for his second. trophies, that include 18 coveted Grand Slam dou- set-pieces out of 12 goals. Chennai City FC, on the bles titles, the 46-year-old has been enduring a FC Goa, on the other hand, have been much other hand, have made a slow start lean patch for some time. more efficient with set-pieces. Sergio Lobera’s to their Hero I-League campaign. Paes, who is the most successful doubles play- team has conceded just one goal from set-pieces They have notched only five er in the history of Davis Cup with 44 wins, while Mourtada Fall and Carlos Pena provide points from four games, with recently dropped out of top-100 for the first time attacking threat as well during such situations. /:3: ,1 one-goal advantage slip in the final their only victory arriving against in 19 years. FC Goa’s attack will pose plenty of problems thirteen minutes of both their TRAU in their season opener at “I want to announce 2020 as my farewell year for the Chennaiyin defence as well. Ferran eal Kashmir FC will play their matches, conceding an equaliser Coimbatore. as a pro tennis player,” Paes wrote in a statement, Corominas, since coming back from injury, has Rfirst home match of in the 77th and 78th- With an away trip to Srinagar which he posted on his Twitter handle. been in good goal scoring form and has tallied the 13th Hero I-League minute mark respective- on the horizon, Roberto Eslava, “I am looking forward to the 2020 tennis cal- six goals already. season when they host ly. Although TRAU went Captain, Chennai City FC said, endar where I will be playing a few select tour- Brandon Fernandes and Hugo Boumous will defending champions 2-1 up against the Snow “We have shown intensity, so the naments, travelling with my team and celebrat- look to provide ample service to Coro but one Chennai City FC at the Leopards later, Mason points that we have dropped, ing with all my friends and fans around the world,” ' ! thing Lobera would like to see is his team TRC Turf Ground in Srinagar Robertson scored a quick equalis- haven’t been for the lack of it.” the statement read further. ) improve their conversion rate. today. er to snatch a point from Imphal. “We showed great fight “It is all of you who have inspired me to Chennaiyin’s defence, which will miss Eli The fixture is first major Assessing his team’s last out- against Punjab, though the score- become me and I want to take this year to say I am without your unstinting support and belief Sabia (suspended), will have a tough job on their sporting event in the valley since ing, David Robertson, Head line may suggest otherwise. “Thank You” to you.” in me, I love you.” He also thanked his two elder hands. its recognition as a union territo- Coach, Real Kashmir FC said, “In They scored a second (goal) in India’s Davis Cup hero thanked his parents Dr sisters and daughter Aiana. Moreover, FC Goa have an envious record ry. Real Kashmir have played the second half, TRAU had a go the dying minutes, so we had to Vece Paes and Jennifer, both of whom represent- Paes asked fans to share their favourite in Chennai. The Gaurs have won four out of the only two matches this season, both at us and we defended well. We go broke for an equaliser and they ed India at the highest level, for giving him sports memories of him over the years using #one last five matches they played at the Jawaharlal Nehru ending in draws away from home had a great chance when Krizo caught us off guard in stoppage genes. roar. stadium during the league stages. against Quess East Bengal and was one on one with the keeper time and added a third. We have “I want to thank my parents for their genet- “2020 is going to be an emotional one and I The home side will also need to banish the Tiddim Road Athletic Union and we could have killed the shown this desire in every game, ics, guidance, discipline, environment they cre- look forward to seeing all of you out there rolling memories of a crushing 0-3 defeat FC Goa hand- (TRAU). game. In football, these things and the next game against ated and unconditional love they’ve always with me. It has been an honour being your lion- ed out to them on the opening match of this sea- The Snow Leopards have let a happen. I am proud of my play- Kashmir won’t be any different.” shown me throughout my life, I would not be who heart,” he concluded. son. - + 6 P"B &
+1 / but there are several better contenders Champions League. for goal of the season. Not having to compete in Europe’s ygualdo, LuLa or Immobile? The best of the bunch at this stage premier club competition could aid D is perhaps Goran Pandev’s stunning goal Inter, although it will be involved in the The Serie A title race could come against Lecce for Genoa on Dec 8. Europa League. down to which team has the best strike The Lecce goalkeeper’s Lazio is also not to be force. attempted clearance came to the ignored, especially as it is the Juventus has the superstar trident of 36-year-old Pandev, who showed only team to have beaten Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain and great instinct to control and imme- Juventus this season — some- Cristiano Ronaldo — the so-called diately lob into an empty net thing it did in the league and the Dygualdo. Inter Milan has Romelu Lukaku from more than 40 yards out. Italian Super Cup this month, and Lautaro Martínez — aka LuLa. and both by the same 3-1 score. Lazio is six points behind the top two WHO'LL BE CHAMPION? Lazio has won the Serie A title twice but with a game in hand. But it is Lazio Napoli has pushed Juventus all the in its history, the last time in 2000. forward Ciro Immobile who is leading the way in recent years but this season it is goalscoring charts. Inter Milan which is threatening to CL QUALIFICATION Immobile, who was top scorer in 2014 wrest the title off the eight-time defend- While Juventus and Inter Milan and 2018, currently has 17 goals in Serie ing champion. look overwhelming favorites to get in A — five more than nearest challenger Conte’s arrival as Inter coach in the the Champions League next season, the Lukaku. offseason has revitalized a team which other two spots will likely be fought Last Sunday’s games were the final has finished fourth the previous two over by Lazio, Roma, Atalanta and ones of 2019 and Serie A returns from its campaigns. Cagliari. winter break on Jan 5, with the first of the Juventus and Inter headed into the Lazio enters the break on an eight- round of 18 matches. 5 P!8 3 ! winter break level on 42 points at the match winning streak in the league and top of the table. Inter is top on goal dif- is in third place, one point ahead of PLAYER OF THE SEASON impressed so much that Barcelona is Serie A. ference although head-to-head is the Roma. Atalanta trails the Champions Martínez has burst onto the scene this reportedly ready to activate the Inter for- The Sardinian club has exceeded all first tiebreaker at the end of the season. League places by four points in fifth season after a quiet debut campaign for ward’s 111 million euro ($123 million) expectations by joining the conversation Whether Inter can stand the pace is while Cagliari is six points out in sixth. Inter. release clause. for a spot in Europe, entering the break an issue though, especially as a mid-sea- Martínez scored nine goals in all com- Martínez signed a contract until 2023 in sixth place despite losing its last two son slump has become something of a WHO'S GOING DOWN? petitions for Inter last season but has when he joined Inter from Racing Club matches. tradition with the Nerazzurri. Brescia, Spal and Genoa currently already found the back of the net 13 times last year and there is already talk of It’s among the team’s best starts since Since 2013, Inter has only once occupy the bottom three places, with in a formidable partnership with Lukaku improving that deal to keep the Argentina Luigi Riva led the club to its only Italian managed to win more than one league Genoa last on 11 points from 17 games. under coach Antonio Conte. forward at the club. league title in 1970. match in January. Breccia is 18th in the 20-team Martínez and Lukaku’s partnership Conte has complained at several league — trailing Sampdoria and Lecce has been key to Inter reaching the top of SURPRISE OF THE SEASON GOAL OF THE SEASON points this season of his squad’s lack of by just one point — and will hope strik- the Serie A standings. Unheralded Cagliari could be on its Ronaldo’s towering header might strength in depth and has said that was er Mario Balotelli finds top form in the ' 3 " J The 22-year-old Martínez has way to becoming this season’s Atalanta in have made headlines around the world partly to blame for its exit from the new year to lead it to safety. # &0 # " :73 :>'A :;3 :>'A
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ake your children with your older child, or estab- bers things easier by seeing realise that their lish a family reading time when things, try having him read study is important. everyone reads her own book. something aloud and repeat in MShow them some Demonstrate how important ! his own words what he read. examples. Bring your children to reading is to you by filling your & Some children remember more a person who is study-con- home with printed materials: (, + if they write things down scious, and have your children novels, newspapers, even posters (touch/hands on), so reworking ask why he or she studies so and placemats with words on a math problem or writing cer- much. Tell them about the days them. tain history dates will help for of your childhood at school and Point out the new things & them. You may need to read out explain how challenging and fun you learn with enthusiasm. (-! loud to your child to help her it was to study. Discuss the different ways you retain the information, if she As soon as your child starts find new information, whether learns best by hearing. any type of schooling, start you're looking for gardening tips ' Some parents make the showing them how to balance on the Internet or taking a ! mistake of thinking that their their time. Teach them that night class in American litera- ' child didn't study enough school is a priority over things ture. ' + because they didn't sit down for like games and TV, and get them Ask about what he's learn- a long time. Reading/writing into the habit of finishing their ing in school, not about his and comprehension speeds vary school work before anything grades or test scores. Have him ! wildly between children, which else. teach you what he learned in may begin to explain why your If you want your child to be school today putting the lesson (-! son only sat down to study for a stellar student, don't limit into his own words will help him an hour before the big exam. learning to the walls of his retain what he learned. If you have young children, classroom. Although the skills Focus on strengths, encour- try to be present when they he's learning there are crucial to aging developing talents. Even if ! study. Make sure they know his intellectual and social she didn't ace her math test, she & that you are there to help, but growth, your child needs your may have written a good poem do not let them rely on you help to open up the world of in English class. In addition to 3 + completely for the answers. Be ideas. His renewed joy in discov- a workbook for math practice, patient, positive, and tolerant. ery will transfer to his school- give her a writing journal. Turn & As your children grow older, work, so you'll boost his acade- everyday events into learning & ! more disciplined, and more mic achievement too. opportunities. Encourage him to ! & independent, you may need to Some children are blessed explore the world around him, ! back off and let them build their with the gift of good study asking questions and making (-! they studied harder during the that they will refuse to do what ing, what they think is easy or keep an eye on them to make own study habits. habits, while others hate study- connections. year, they would have more you want them to do. If you what they think is hard. sure that they don't play games. Review your children's ing. Helping a child with poor Teach consequences. ' free time during the summer. pressure them constantly about Become familiar with the mate- Consider blocking certain web- homework when they get home study skills benefits the parent, Depending on where you live, Remedial courses may help your the importance of studying rial your children are studying. sites from a computer, or dis- and when they have finished it. the teacher, and the struggling your child's school may not + ' kids catch up the rest of their and shout at them when they It's quite difficult to help your abling the Internet altogether Read over essays and writing student. You can take a number require students that fail a class ! peers in the following year, don't, the child may begin to child with algebra if you are not during certain designated study assignments; look over their of proactive steps to help your to do any sort of make-up ensuring that they don't fall fur- resent both studying itself and familiar with the basic concepts times. work for math assignments. children develop better study course. You can usually find ! ther behind. you as a figure of authority yourself. Once you’ve become Know how your child Consider checking their habits and skills. Remember some sort of summer school &+ Try not to force studying on within the house. If you ask familiar with what your chil- learns best. Understand what answers and working with them discipline is important, but your option, however, whether it is your child. Over time, this may your child to study in a relaxed dren need to learn, you will be makes her engaged and produc- to correct anything that's child will do her best work if she through the school or an exter- !! condition them to avoid study- way, and make them aware of in a better position to help. tive, and try to build an ideal wrong. Make sure that you do is motivated by the joy of learn- nal program. Your child proba- ing at all costs. If you sit your the importance of studying, Minimise distractions. learning environment. Treat not demean your child or make ing. bly won't love the idea of sum- child down at the kitchen table the outcome could be different Keep the TV off, and put away your child as an individual him/her feel dull. Your guid- Fill your child's world with mer classes but this can be a for three hours with a textbook Be involved. Take an inter- any gaming consoles. If your with unique needs and ance should be a positive light, reading. Take turns reading great way to teach them that if and lock the door, chances are est in what your child is learn- children are using a computer, strengths. If your child remem- not a stressful weight. 4 !"#!$%& ,,7-.
ed audience preferences for genres and languages. Smart TV sales in India today com- prise almost 55 per cent of the total units being sold. What does this mean? It means that the television will be linked with apps as the average consumer now wants to see digital content on bigger O. & screens. This will give rise to a phenom- enon called “Inclusive Viewing” as ! ! P opposed to “Individual Viewing”, lead- ' ' ing to certain content pipeline being made to suit the tastes of a family, while the individual content viewing runs parallel. $ Diversified content # # As internet penetration increases in L1 the country, fibre speeds along and India adds close to 10 million daily active 2 internet users every month. Interestingly, 1 nine out of every 10 new internet users $1 are exploring the online content only in $ # their native language. This base wants 2 stories in their mother tongue, not English, not even dubbed. And they want $. # them made in their flavour and lifestyle. Along with pure content offerings, inno- vative ways of storytelling are also being 1 explored to build stronger and deeper connections with the audience. Whether #1 we speak about interactive episodes or $ series where the viewers can write in, 1 debate and decide on the ending of the season may also gain popularity. In this changing scenario, it is immi- nent that the platform has to function 2 with a strategy of capitalising on the demographics in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, that demand the ease of viewing via con- & 8 2 tent made in their language. The beau- ty of OTT platforms is that it allows one to serve segmented audience with their 1 2 +. 7 *-.* -= choice of genre and language. OTT plat- forms in 2020 will continue to invest in - 869$ languages and genres as Internet market , && ers providing a plethora of options of both becomes almost 680 million strong in 22 niche and quality content to the viewers, India, thirsting for the content of their " India has not only become one of the choice. fastest-growing media and entertain- 5 & ment markets globally but is also well Consolidation and collaboration $M poised to keep this momentum ablaze. As The coming years will witness $'< $? per market research agency, Kantar intense competition that will lead to con- 0 IMRB, India’s internet users were expect- solidation among the increasingly crowd- ed to register double digit growth upto ed OTT landscape. Mergers, takeovers, O< ' P " "/ & 627 million in 2019 due to rapid inter- collaborations and content production ! net growth in rural areas. deals will abound. The focus of the & & Given the quick change in preference industry will be sustainable business and of how the audience want to consume unique content monetisation as well as he year has seen a revolution in the paths — one will see content engineered content, the question being asked is, ‘will revenue models. In order to stand out digital streaming industry with to engage the audience for fiction shows mobile surpass TV as the primary con- from the rest in the clutter what plays an (- Tmultiple shows being launched and the other will be gamification for the tent consumption channel. Or rather, will important role is innovation. OTT play- and many platforms experimenting with non-fiction shows. The latter has been content globally become digital and ers have already started experimenting & & new technologies and business models. tried as a successful experiment with at devices like laptops, TV sets, films just with personalisation for a seamless and By the looks of it, there will be multiple least two other platforms where the become boxes of dissemination? Even enhanced user experience. With DTH + disruptions in 2020 out of which quite a shows are broadcast simultaneously on though mobile data costs have been platforms becoming content aggregators, few will be technology-led. For example, television. The crux lies in independent raised by 40 per cent by the three they will stand to become the future con- ! AR/VR promotional package that was apps adopting this to engage the audience largest telco players in India, it is still the tent disseminators. & + used for the first time by a homegrown with their original content as a scalable cheapest here compared to anywhere else The next year is all set to explain and & OTT platform will become common model. a whole among the masses. Even in globally. However, we are yet to observe experiment with quite a few concepts. place. Over and above that, slowly, an remote areas of the country’s hinterlands, whether this will affect the digital con- However, the biggest fact is “unique nar- ! B ' increasing number of platforms will also Internet, smartphone penetration people across age groups and socio-eco- sumption of online content. Right from rative and interesting content rules the + enable multiple shows with immersive and smart TV sales nomic demographics are increasingly TV shows, sports, films, original exclu- roost”, while the laptops, TVs, mobiles, & experiences while surround content Fast-growing access to smartphones consuming their favourite content sive series to music and news, everything connected devices are just modes of con- ! ! around the shows will also become more and the rapid proliferation of affordable straight from the web, rather than the has gone digital. Is content now com- sumption. common. The coming year will see the high-speed internet has led to an increase more traditional broadcast avenues. With pletely digital? Not yet, but increasing- (The author is the senior VP, market- + rise of gamification of content along two in the consumption of video content as so many established as well as new play- ly this will only get deeper with segment- ing, ALTBalaji.) ! ( &! @@ (- (P % 0 ) Q # L#& & *2 ? , O O H@ . # ctor Janhvi Kapoor said it is weird being he Pink City will be infused with Afollowed by the paparazzi and the weird- Tenthusiasm, a riot of colours and est part of it is that she is getting used to the $ infectious energy as literature and art- attention now. L+ 2 enthusiasts will converge for the 13th “It’s weird. I was just thinking about it 2 edition of Jaipur’s annual Literature today while I had egg on my hair and honey Festival. Well-known as ‘greatest liter- on my face at a pilates studio. I felt like if ary show on earth’, it brings together they’ve seen me enter the gym today, they are # a line-up of exemplary speakers from going to see me leave with wet hair. They are # India and across the world at the his- going to capture me entering the studio and toric Diggi Palace. while leaving. So, it’s kind of weird but I think $+ The past decade has seen it trans- the weirdest part of it is that I have kind of 2 form into a global literary phenome- got used to it now,” Janhvi said. non having hosted nearly 2,000 speak- “As much as people might crib about it, ers and over a million book-lovers at the end of the day, you are getting atten- = #M from across India and the globe. tion and how phony does it sound to be like $ During the festival days, there are end- ‘Oh my god, I am getting so much attention’,” less places to see, and things to do, she added. some of which include insightful ses- The Dhadak star says she struggled with sions and an exciting and buzzing car- being papped. “Honestly, I have my days and / nival encapsulating a bookstore, food I’ve had a long phase where I really struggled stalls, a bazaar along with artists at with it. It was like a weird deviation and just + work and multiple parties hosted on an interference. It looked as if people were - the festival’s fringes. Here are a few rea- constantly commenting about me and I was + sons why you should not miss out on getting too caught up. But since the last seven the festival. to eight months, the work has been so back- to-back, I have realised that it doesn’t matter,” L Listen to some of the greatest she said. $M/# minds of the world ging rights. Rajagopalan, and Supriya Nagarajan, year, it is back to inspire literary aspi- Janhvi said in the podcast of JioSaavn’s # The festival hosts some of the a renowned Carnatic vocalist and rants. Shortlisted participants get a #NoFilterNeha Season 4. She $ world’s best literary minds and brings Art, culture — memories galore founder of Manasamitra. platform to share their work and continued, “If people are them together for several panel discus- In addition to being a platform for receive constructive guidance from going to cry about me , sions and interactions. Experts from conversations related to literature and Heritage evenings international publishers, literary wearing shorts to the gym, diverse fields such as literature, econ- books, it also gives the visitors an JLF will also host a power-packed agents, translators and other industry I do not care anymore. I omy, environment, food and science opportunity to experience various heritage evening. Supported by experts. am still going to wear take the stage for stimulating and forms of art and music. From instal- Rajasthan Tourism, the Amer Fort will shorts. There have $, thought-provoking conversations. lations to backdrops for the perfect feature a performance by Pandit Blogging competition been days when I got Eminent speakers such as recipient of Instagram shot, there is something for Rajendra Gangani, one of the leading If you can write a compelling copy bothered by the com- the 2010 Man Booker Prize, Howard everyone. Dance and music perfor- practitioners of the Jaipur Gharana of and want to get close to where the ments but I have Jacobson, Pulitzer-winning authors, mances make the festival even liveli- Kathak. He will pay tribute to the age- action is, JLF’s blogging competition actually reached a Stephen Greenblatt and Dexter Filkins, er. For shopping enthusiasts, the annu- old classical dance form, along with an is your chance to make that leap. place where I am celebrated culinary expert Madhur al festival bazaar is a must visit as sev- ensemble of Kathak dancers. Les Highlighting the festival’s core aim to amused by some of ' Jaffrey, acclaimed author Elizabeth eral craftsmen, designers and entrepre- Souffleurs or The Whisperers, an support and promote artistic expres- the not-so-cute ones.” Gilbert and leading filmmaker Vishal neurs display and sell a vast array of artistic group created by Olivier sion through writing, the competition Opening up about $ Bhardwaj, are among the first few hard-to-resist collectible items. Among Comte, with a production where they will give 10 chosen writers a chance her relationship status L # speakers which have been announced the many things to be bought are whisper poetic secrets into each other’s to inspire the audience through their with her celebrity “crush” 2 for the 2020 edition. embroidered shawls, meenakari jew- ears using a hollow cane. To end the words on its official blog site. The Vijay Deverakonda, #M ellery, funky stationery, edgy acces- evening on a musical note, world- winners will also be invited to the fes- Janhvi said, “The status is $L+ Book-signings and an opportuni- sories, spiffy footwear and home renowned sitarist Shubhendra Rao will tival’s various sessions. non-existent. Also, it’s just ty to meet your favourite authors décor. present East Marries West — A Legacy admiration. I am com- # # For all those literature enthusiasts which is a celebration of his Guru, the The delegate experience fortable with the admira- who have spent days glued to books, Morning music sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar’s While the festival is open to all, tion only. It’s only on 1O # turning one page after another capti- For those passionate about music, 100th birth anniversary. specially-curated delegate packages interviews and public 1 1O vated by the magic of a well-written each day the festival begins with the guarantee an experience to remember. platforms. My phases are iWrite 1O 2 novel, the Jaipur Literature Festival calming strains of morning ragas. at Jaipur BookMark Delegate-only lunches serve as an actually very seasonal offers the perfect opportunity to meet The stage will be graced by acclaimed For all aspiring authors and poets opportunity to meet and mingle with but he’s been quite con- your favourite authors in person. artistes such as BC Manjunath, an with multiple drafts scribbled behind like-minded literary enthusiasts and sistent though. My fond- 6 Besides attending noteworthy ses- exponent of Konnakol and the mrin- every notebook and diary filled with make new connections. The delegate ness has been quite con- sions and witnessing book launches, dangam; sitar maestro and recipient of words that you hope will one day be packages range from 6,300 per day sistent $M the festival also has book-signing the President’s Award for best instru- read by the world — iWrite by Jaipur to 23,800 for five days. (Laughs).” kiosks at all venues where you can grab mentalist, Purbayan Chatterjee; lead- BookMark is the perfect platform. (The festival will be held between L"3 that rare signed copy and earn brag- ing Carnatic veena-player Saraswati After a successful first edition last January 23 and 27, 2020.) () 49 !"#!$%& ) P% Q
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Tourism and transport are intri- cately linked. How are you ensuring a seamless travel experience for tourists visiting the state? A seamless travel experience is the primary concern of every tourist vis- iting a destination. And Assam Tourism recognises that. We have devised a training module for drivers, guides as well as elephant mahouts. Further the Red River Tours & Travels, the travel agency of Assam Tourism Development Corporation, has a ded- icated team that ensures that all trav- el plans of tourists availing its services *@, , get a hassle-free experience.
Are there any programmes for the locals to enhance their skills for the service industry? Can you elab- orate on them. anchit Sharma, a 20-year-old from New Delhi, Yes. As stated earlier, we have a Swho is currently working in the Strategy & scheme to train drivers, guides and ele- Operations Consulting division at Deloitte India, had phant mahouts, which also include the attempted two Guinness World Records pertaining jeep safari drivers operating in to memorising randomly shuffled cards underwa- Kaziranga, Manas and Pobitora. ter in July 2019. Moreover, we are exploring the possi- The previous record for ‘Most Playing Cards bility of partnering with Assam Skill Memorised Underwater’ was 56 cards, achieved by Development Mission for enhancing Christian Schäfer (Germany) in 2015. A YouTube the capacity building and skill devel- video is also available on the same, where there are opment of the tourism stakeholders. two decks of cards, thoroughly shuffled outside first. One deck is How do you maintain the balance handed to between the need to encourage Sanchit after he tourism and also ensure that it does goes underwa- not affect the fragile ecosystem? ter. He memo- Our major tourism segment is rises the deck nature and wildlife. People from all fully, raises one over the world visit Assam and get It may seem that the more tourists being developed in the state. How do awareness about the Amur Falcons that the river island. This has significant- hand (while still attracted by its wealth of exotic flora visit Assam, it is better for the indus- you think it will promote tourism? roost near the scenic Kopli reservoir ly increased the number of visitors to being underwa- and fauna. Even without mentioning try. However, we would rather go for As you may be aware, the mighty in large numbers. It is one of the most the riverine island. This year, Majuli ter), return the the famous one-horned rhino, Assam a gradual expansion of the industry. Brahmaputra flows right across Assam exotic events in the hill districts of saw over five lakh visitors during the first deck and is known for its huge variety of rare The ideal is a 10 per cent rise in the from east to west. It is fed by over 80 Assam. festival, which is double the number take the second and endangered wildlife species. tourist footfalls and that is what we tar- big and small tributaries. The state is of last year. one. He then Assam Tourism strives to ensure that get. also home to over 800 big lakes and What is the idea behind the Raas proceeds to the increasing footfall of tourists in the water bodies. From this, one can eas- Festival at Majuli? How many visitors What were the places linked while memorise as state does not cross its threshold and How many participants took part ily envisage that there is a huge poten- attended it this year? developing The Heritage Corridor many cards of an equilibrium is always maintained. at the paragliding competition that tial for development of adventure The Raas Festival has been cele- and why? How will it operate? the second deck For this, we work in tandem with the has put Dangdhufur on the world tourism through the rivers. Moreover, brated in Majuli along with other Under the Swadesh Darshan until he is no Forest Department and other agencies map? the Brahmaputra offers an ideal water places of Assam since the medieval Scheme of the government of India, longer able to so that a certain balance is always The competition took place in way for plying of world-class luxury times. It is one of the most popular cul- the Ministry of Tourism sanctioned the hold his breath maintained between tourist footfalls Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary from cruises throughout its length. tural and religious festivals of Assam. project ‘Tezpur—Majuli—Sivasagar underwater. After coming out of the water, he is and environment. November 10 to 15 and was organised This year, Assam Tourism added sig- Heritage Circuit for Assam’ in 2016- again given two brand new decks of cards, which he by Bodoland Tourism. Around 69 What is the Falcon Festival all nificant value to the festival through 17 at 98.35 crore. The project aims at goes on to arrange in the same order as the mem- What is the increase in the num- pilots had participated, out of which about? a campaign of branding and publici- developing infrastructure for tourists orised ones. The judges then compare the four decks ber of tourist arrivals that you are 22 were foreigners. The Falcon Festival is held annu- ty throughout the state and outside. visiting destinations like Bamuni Hills, of cards and it is seen that he successfully memo- targetting at for the next financial ally in October and November in Also, Majuli has been provided with Tezpur, Majuli and archaeological rised 67 cards, holding his breath for close to two year? Inland water transport is also Umrangso, Karbi Anlong to raise facilities like tented accommodation in sites of Sivasagar. and a half minutes underwater and breaking the record by 11 cards. The previous record for ‘Fastest Time to Arrange a Deck of Cards Memorised Underwater’ was four minutes, 26.88 seconds, which was achieved by A, " 4 Krzysztof Kuich (Poland) in 2016. The record is sim- ilar to the above with the only difference being that here Sanchit had to memorise exactly one deck of he 72nd All India Commerce Employment: Roadmap Ahead, research scholars. bearers, members of ICA and the cards underwater and then arrange a brand new deck TConference 2019 (AICC) was Resurgence of Deprived Society: Annual executive council delegates for their support. KIIT outside (in the order of cards memorised) as quick- concluded at the Kalinga Institute Reinvention and Resilience, Social meeting of Indian Commerce and Odisha feels proud to host ly as possible. It took him three minutes, 42.50 sec- of Industrial Technology (KIIT) Media: Interface between Association (ICA) was held and such a prestigious event, he onds to arrange the new deck outside, breaking the deemed to be University, Policymaker and Common Man, office bearers were elected. added. record by 44.38 seconds. Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. More and Non-performing Assets: Professor Sasmita Samanta, pro- Sasmita said, “The conference He recently received the official approval from than 2,000 delegates from across Diagnosis and Management. vice chancellor of the institution, has been very unique. I appreci- the Guinness World Records for both the record India and five other countries Many eminent professors, was elected as president of ICA ate the efforts of young attempts. He said, “I am proud to say that Poland and joined the three-day conference. research scholars, and students for the year 2020-21. researchers who joined and par- Germany’s names have been replaced by India in An international seminar on from India and abroad also par- Gracing the valedictory ses- ticipated in the conference.” She these categories. This is not the first time I attempt- Global Business: Emerging Issues ticipated. Sahamuddin Memorial sion as chief guest, Dr Achyuta thanked the members of ICA for ed breaking a world record. In December 2018, I and Challenges was also conduct- Research Scholar and Manu Bhai Samanta, founder of KIIT & electing her the president of ICA. broke the GWR for ‘Most Decimal Places of Euler’s ed. Apart from that, four techni- M Saha Research Gold Medal KISS, said, the 72nd AICC was a “Efforts will be made to popu- Number Memorised’ by committing to memory and cal sessions on Skill India and were presented to distinguished success. He thanked the office larise ICA worldwide,” she added. reciting 3,141 digits of the irrational number ‘e’.” -.),0 !. ,9 % !.%. 8 , /%-: =1 4',D',6%O # he Ghaziabad housing scheme named vate builders here. He # TDevelopment ‘Indirapuram Extension’ informed that the layout 8 ' 1 Authority (GDA) has on CISF Road adjacent plan of the entire decided to develop the to Indirapuram scheme has been pre- hriller novel titled, US naval base, Pearl Indirapuram Extension Residential Scheme. He pared. “If there will be a TWhere Satan Rules, Harbour. Orphaned, the Residential Scheme on said that it had started vacant land, GDA will penned by Prabhav Bhagat boys get caught in one the lines of Rajnagar the process of taking buy it and give it to the .? and published by impossible situation after Extension in Ghaziabad. land from farmers in builder at least 2,000 .8 Bloomsbury India another. And soon, the real One of the GDA’s most the housing scheme ear- sqm of land as per the M) ; 3 $ < Publication, was launched nightmare begins as they successful schemes, lier but due to the court standards,” he said and .N on Saturday by Ruben find themselves wrapped in GDA will allot plots to office, the matter was added that 50 per cent Banerjee, editor-in-chief the chilling secrets of the private builders to dragged on for a long for housing, 20 per cent 8 ; 8< of Outlook, along with Bermuda Triangle. develop townships in time, after which the for infrastructure and # Nitin Saluja, founder of Hounded by death, the the area adjoining the GDA decided to make a transport, 15 per cent # ,$ Chaiyos, at Civil Services boys witness utterly strange Indirapuram residential residential plan on the for parking, 10 per cent Officers’ Institute in the happenings only to unrav- scheme. After this, land in possession of for educational institu- . capital. The event was also el a world that could threat- buildings will be allot- GDA. tions and other commu- ) attended by a number of en the very existence of ted to people. The He said that earlier, nity facilities and five dignitaries including humankind. Gagan Chumbi there was a plan to per cent for commercial Ashwani Lohani, chair- Awardee and founder of backdrop of the Second The author, Prabhav is Township will be settled make a residential plan use have been provided . 8 man and managing direc- Goonj and other officials. World War. On December an NTSE scholar and in Indirapuram by plotting on this land in the total area. 6 tor, Air India, Bimal Julka, Based on the experi- 7, 1941, the cosy world of presently studies in class Extension now. but it was observed that This ambitious information commission- ence of two young boys, the two young boys Mike XI. A Trinity College-cer- Vice president the chances of success of scheme will be linked er, Raj Kumar, director sci-fi fantasy novel explores Carterson and Alex tified guitarist, he can be Kanchan Verma said the plot plan are very with metro rail facilities, general, ESIC, and Anshu the mysteries of the Gutherberg turns upside seen strumming his guitar that the GDA has decid- low, so large plots malls and more adjacent . Gupta, Magsaysay Bermuda Triangle in the down as Japan attacks the during leisure. ed to introduce a new should be given to pri- to NH 9. 3 L ' .# 8 :+9)> +68:% >= % .3 3 edas throw light on both increasing enormously. Moreover, Atharvaved even immediately gave orders to his Our leaders must realise years. . Vworldly and spiritual mat- Therefore, at this juncture, stresses upon the fact that soldiers to catch hold of the that according to the Vedic Unity wields divine ters. A king should rule a law and leaders both are of no such sinners should be lady and hang her from the culture, it is imperative for the strength. Hence, to counter country to protect the people use. beheaded. If the fear can be tree. In this way, the man was rulers to ensure mental and and control the heinous crimes, and enable them to live a Yajurved emphasis that maintained among the crimi- given justice and the people physical security of their pub- each one of us shall unite to face fearless life. In Vedic spiritu- law alone cannot do anything nals, sinful acts can be got a lesson to not to violate lic. In fact, Vedas direct the the culprits bravely and simul- alism, if we pray to god to pro- but the fear of rulers who destroyed from its roots. laws. leaders to treat and nurse the taneously awaken the govern- tect us then he surely awards strictly implement it, matters. In this regard, I would like It’s a bitter truth, accord- public as their own children. ment so that it is not ignored. protection to the aspirant. Yajurved and Atharvaved to quote a real story from ing to Ramayana and It is the law that juvenile It shall not be out of place However, due to lack of Vedic strictly state that if the public Rajasthan, the king toured in Mahabharata, that the adverse offenders must not be pun- to mention here that if public is knowledge, public is far away is debarred from getting justice public to know about the well- condition that women of our ished severely but should be made learned of Vedas then from worldly as well as spiri- then the king and his govern- being of the residents. He country face could not have sent to reformatory homes only will they acquire ability to tual protection. ment are directly held respon- asked if anyone had any com- occurred had there been instead of jails. Now, we must control their senses and remain By law, leaders are sible for the same and are plaint? A young man told him strong and effective laws know as to what does Vedas away from vices like sensuali- required to maintain an declared sinners. that a lady had killed his rel- enforced by leaders as was say in this context. God ty, anger etc. atmosphere of fear only among Until the rulers impose ative and she was habitual to done by ancient kings. They preaches in Atharvaved (The author is Swami Ram criminals-rapists. But due to violence on the sinners, crimes threaten him daily, stating used to follow the Vedic cul- mantra that the punishment Swarup, Yogacharya, the chief the bad implementation of cannot be destroyed from that no one had the power to ture, wherein there was no for such offences starts just editor of Ved Ishvareeya vani, a the laws, the rape cases are roots, express Vedas. cause harm to her. The king scope of forgiveness. after crossing the age of three bi-annual magazine.) 4? !"#!$%&
>& Shikhar’s 137 keeps Delhi afloat " --B 3 8 OC P " + +'1 est specialist Ajinkya Rahane /:3: ,1 “Today, I played what we call Tand young prodigy Prithvi Shaw ‘Box cricket’ which means playing 6 failed with the bat as Railways bun- attle-hardened Shikhar close to your body. I didn’t play dled out Mumbai for a paltry 114 on Dhawan was all guts and grit most of the deliveries outside the ' the opening day of their Elite Group Bwhile negotiating tough off-stump. Some of our young B game at Wankhede stadium on “English conditions” as he boost- guys, fiddled with those deliveries. Wednesday. ed Delhi’s morale with a well-con- Now this comes with experience. 4 This is perhaps the first time that trolled 137 against Hyderabad in You have a look at the wicket and the 41-time Ranji trophy champions their Ranji group A match at you know what shots you will play,” - 4% have been shot out before lunch in Arun Jaitley stadium on said the left-hander, who scored his Mumbai or elsewhere. Wednesday. 30th first-class hundred. ndian pace spearhead Jasprit However, Mumbai bowlers, led A spicy Feroz Shah Kotla Using the early morning con- IBumrah, who was supposed by debutante Deepak Shetty (3-20) track to deal with on a chilly Delhi ditions, Mohammed Siraj (2/60 in to prove his fitness during the initially came hard on Railways winter morning was a stiff chal- 16 overs) removed Kunal Ranji Trophy match between before their captain Karn Sharma (24 lenge and Dhawan Chandela (1) and Dhruv Gujarat and Kerala, did not not out) and 33-year-old Arindam responded with an Shorey (0) in quick succes- feature in the game which Ghosh (52 not out) rallied their unbeaten century that sion with seaming deliv- began at the Lalabhai innings with their unbroken 73- took his side to a safe eries — one that went Contractor Stadium on run stand for the sixth wicket. ) 269 for six on a curtailed away and one that came Wednesday. Their partnership ensured that 3 opening day. in. Bumrah, who has been Railways took the first-innings lead ! % M % ! " Dhawan’s knock Dhawan was hardly out of action post India’s tour and ended the day at 116/5 as bad would do a world of good perturbed as the first daz- of West Indies in July-August light stopped the play at 3:54 pm. Surya was bowled by Pradeep as to the confidence of a side, zling stroke was a backdrive off due to a stress fracture on his Earlier, the famed Mumbai bat- he tried to play across the line. which was spiralling southwards, seamer M Ravi Kiran. back, was expected to mark his ting line-up collapsed as little-known After Surya fell, it was just a mat- as he hit 19 fours and two sixes in It was a test of patience for return in the Elite Group A right-arm medium pacer Pradeep T ter of time as Mumbai's innings fold- his 198-ball innings. Dhawan when left-arm spinner game of the ongoing tourna- (6-37) ran through their line-up on ed up at 114 in 28.3 overs. “It was more like English con- Mehedy Hasan was in operation as ment. a greenish Wankhede wicket. ditions. It’s satisfying to score runs Delhi were 128 for five at one stage. However, reports emerged Railways were rewarded for RAMAN SCORES 2ND TON in these conditions. With experi- He only opened up when that Bumrah was asked by bowling a disciplined line and in Left-handed opener ence you get idea of what shots to moved to 70s, having got a reprieve BCCI President Sourav right areas. Abhishek Raman held the Bengal play on what kind of track. The off a ‘no-ball’ from Ravi Kiran Ganguly to stay away from Mumbai openers- Shaw (12) and innings together with a gritty unbeat- shots that I would have played when he was on 67. He first lifted Gujarat’s game and a BCCI Jay Bista (21)— conjured just 18 for the en 110, taking the hosts to 241 for when I was a 21 or 22 years old, I Tanay Thyagrajan into the stands functionary that the pacer first wicket before Shaw’s leading edge four against Andhra on day one of didn’t play here. I towards the Delhi Gate end. The was indeed asked to skip the was caught by Pratham Singh at gully their Elite group A fixture. # didn’t drive any next six was even more regal off Ranji match and focus on off medium pacer Amit Mishra (3-41). Raman survived some anxious < A17># . of those deliver- Mehedy as he deposited him over white-ball cricket. One-down Rahane had an oppor- moments especially in the 90s before . -- ies,” Dhawan, the deep mid-wicket boundary. tunity to get runs under his belt, but he pulling KV Sasikanth over square leg playing his first Hasan was also punished with a fell for just 5. Rahane, too, edged to sec- to score his second successive cen- first-class game in few pull shots. unit about what all can be done ond slip, giving Pradeep his first- tury. 15 months, told reporters. “I changed my game (accord- and Ishant talks to the bowlers. wicket. Raman, who scored 110 in Dhawan’s body language never ing to situation) because when the “The experience that we have Immediately after that, Pradeep Bengal’s win over Kerala in their pre- gives away what’s on his mind and left-arm spinner (Mehidy Hasan) gained in so many years, it’s nice dismissed Bista, who was caught by vious match, got good support he says his uncluttered mind is the was bowling, I was itching to hit to give it back to the players. If guys wicket-keeper Nitin Bhille as the hosts from former skipper Manoj Tiwary secret of his success. him. But looking at the overall sit- benefit from it, it feels great. Now were reeling at 40-3. as they revived the innings in the “I had nothing on my mind. Jo uation, I curbed my instincts as that we have come, the momentum Mumbai’s crisis man Siddhesh post-lunch session after being cheez aani hai woh aa jati hain (I there wasn’t much batting left.” that was needed, we got that,” said Lad (14) and skipper Suryakumar reduced to 99 for two. react to situations). I am a very Anuj Rawat (29), who shared Dhawan, who feels 269/6 is also a Yadav (39) tried to rebuild the innings While Raman batted through the relaxed person and I don’t make a 84-run stand for the sixth wick- good score on this track where with their 30-run stand, but medium- day, facing 255 balls, Tiwary too was my mind heavy with extra et with Dhawan, was the only bats- Delhi is yet to bowl. pacer Himanshu Sangwan (1-33) broke at his fluent best, striking a six and thoughts. The way you guys think, man who showed positive intent “Whatever we get is a good the partnership as he cleaned up Lad. six fours. They added quick 87 runs I don’t think like that,” he laughed. while batting. But the Delhi skip- score as there was a time when it Mumbai batters Aditya Tare (4), for the third wicket before Tiwary With ball seaming around per shielded the likes of Shorey and didn’t seem like we can even score Akash Parkar (2), Shams Mulani (1) was done in by a short one from CV throughout the day and most of Nitish Rana (25), saying that some 200. On this wicket even 269 is a and Shardul Thakur (0) made a bee- Stephen, the most impressive Andhra the Delhi batsmen looking uncom- of them got good balls on a “juicy good score,” he said. line to the pavilion as Railways had a bowler. fortable, the skipper walked the morning track”. Brief Scores: Delhi 269/6 in 66 clear advantage. “I’m sure he will not sleep well talk as he had said on the eve of the “I try to mix and interact with overs (Shikhar Dhawan 137 not Skipper Surya top scored for tonight. He could have converted it match that he hasn’t forgotten to them at their level. I share my out, Anuj Rawat 29, Kunwar Mumbai and struck five boundaries into a big one,” Bengal coach Arun 8 3 8 MHG, ! " bat. experiences. I talk to the batting Bidhuri 22 not out) vs Hyderabad. in his quick-fire 40-ball knock. Lal said of Tiwary's dismissal. > < ! % +: '7 4/: # '8> ustralia could play five special- Aist bowlers against New 4! :/% 417/ Zealand during the second Test, captain Tim Paine said on +: '7 4/: ngland’s leading pacer James Wednesday, with the decision EAnderson will make his 150th being left until the last moment. ustralia skipper Tim Paine Test appearance when he makes a The Melbourne Cricket Areckons his teammate and return from injury today. Ground track has been lifeless dur- pacer Pat Cummins is the ‘best Anderson will be the ninth ing the past two Boxing Day Tests, bowler’ in the world currently. cricketer to reach the 150-Test making it hard to take 20 wickets, Cummins is presently the top- milestone — joining the likes of although a Sheffield Shield match ranked bowler in Test cricket. Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Waugh there this The 26-year old has enjoyed a and Jacques Kallis. The right- month was % B great year as he had become the handed bowler last played in the abandoned second-fastest Australian paceman first Ashes Test when he had to due to a dan- < 817> . behind Charlie Turner to a 100 Test leave the field after bowling just gerous pitch. 8,:*-+ 9 wickets. four overs. After that, he also With this “He is clearly the best bowler missed two-Test series against in mind, Paine said a decision in the world, his stats will proba- New Zealand. would only be made after a late bly back that up. Not just for one Anderson, who made his Test :/% 417/ % / inspection. # 3 ! P "J series, or one Test, or two Tests here debut at the age of 20, had last But one scenario could be a or there, he has done it every game,” < '17># . month said he wanted to contin- five-pronged attack, in which third century in a row at Perth ferent with the red ball as opposed Paine was quoted as saying by crick- outh Africa skipper Faf du 8,:*-+ 9 ue through to the next Ashes series, Queensland seamer Michael Neser before a second-innings 50. to the pink ball, particularly (com- et.com.au. “I think he is getting bet- SPlessis on Tuesday confirmed which will start at the end of 2021 likely makes his debut. In contrast Steve Smith, their pared) to the second innings in ter with experience as well, I think that right-handed batsman Rassie Dussen has played 18 ODIs and in Australia. “We’ll find out tomorrow. The hero during the Ashes against Perth when it was a bit up and you are noticing he is not always van der Dussen will make his Test nine T20Is for South Africa, He is the leading wicket-taker wicket is a bit unknown... but we’ve England this year, has managed down with cracks and stuff. bowling high-140s anymore, which debut in their opening Test of the Pretorius has featured in 22 ODIs for England in Test cricket with got a plan in place for both scenar- only 43 and 16 in his last two “It’s going to be different, but is a great, great attribute and skill,” four-match series against England, and six T20Is. 575 wickets. ios (with five bowlers or without),” innings, out twice to short balls I’m looking forward to it.” he added. starting at the SuperSport Park Commenting on Van der Former captain Alastair Cook Paine told reporters on from Neil Wagner. today. Dussen, the skipper said: “He was holds the distinction of being the Wednesday. It followed a quiet series The Proteas skipper said that a mature cricketer when he start- most capped Test player for “We’ve probably got two dif- against Pakistan and he is keen to Van der Dussen will bat at No 5 ed for us in ODIs and is someone England. Cook played 161 Tests in ferent teams (in mind), to be pile on some runs in Melbourne. +C & behind Zubayr Hamza at three and who knows his game very well.” which he scored 12,472 runs honest, so we’ll make the final call “I’ve been facing a fair bit of himself at four. “He came into international including 33 centuries. tomorrow.” short stuff in the nets because I’m Addressing mediapersons on cricket looking very comfortable Australia traditionally play expecting a bit (in Melbourne),” Blundell, usually a middle-order the eve of the first Test, du Plessis and over the last season and a half his team is with regard to the com- only four frontline bowlers — Smith said. batsman, would open alongside Tom also hinted that all-rounder has been very fruitful and scored position of the bowling attack and three quicks and spinner. “It’s going to be completely dif- Latham in place of the out-of-form Dwaine Pretorius could make his a lot of runs in white ball cricket,” a call will be taken in the morning According to Cricket Australia, Ravel. “He’s a positive player and a debut, batting at No 7. added du Plessis. However, du of the contest after his side has a they have only fielded five once smart cricketer so it’s just trying to While the 30-year-old Van der Plessis said the only uncertainty in look at the wicket. before in the past decade — at the <0 adapt to the conditions. It’s impor- 2013 Sydney Test against Sri tant he goes out and plays his natur- Lanka. al game,” Williamson told reporters If they go down this route of Blundell. C today, Neser is set to line up +: '7 4/: “He’s been a very good player for alongside Mitchell Starc, Pat a long time and he’s a mature head 4:%741 hospitalised in players who have been players in a really good Cummins and Nathan Lyon, with arnus Labuschagne has … it’s a really exciting opportunity Johannesburg. called in as replacements place and ready to go,” he James Pattinson replacing the Mcemented his position at the for him.” ngland captain Joe “It’s been quite frus- will be “desperate to prove said. injured Josh Hazlewood. number 3 slot in Australia’s Test New Zealand have had 10 days ERoot said that he is trating in many ways, but a point.” Pacer Craig “It’s important we use Travis Head is expected to be team after amassing 1,103 runs 6 $ $ J to recover from their Perth day-night confident of the team we have to handle it,” Joe Overton has been called in these next two days to the fall guy, with wicketkeeper with an average of 58.05, which Test thrashing, which saw their bats- being able to do well in Root told reporters ahead alongwith off spinner make sure everyone is in Paine moving up the batting order includes three centuries in his past +: '7 4/: men skittled for 166 and 171. South Africa despite the of the first Test. “We have Dom Bess. the best possible place to to six. “Our batting team has been three Tests. And in the second Williamson said they had number of absences crop- to get on with it and make “We are very go and win this game. We scoring a lot of runs so if we were Test which starts from today, ew Zealand made two changes learned from their mistakes. ping up before the start of sure that the guys that are lucky that we have got some very com- to go one more bowler, we would Labuschagne has the chance to Non Wednesday for the Boxing “Perth was tough and Australia the series. selected are ready to go.” have got a big petitive players who will be be comfortable they could do the join an elite list of Australian play- Day Test with fast bowler Trent Boult are very good and tactically sound,” Fast bowlers Stuart Root believes that the squad out here desperate to prove a point job,” said Paine. “The bowlers we ers. back from injury and Tom Blundell he said after his team were put Broad, Jofra Archer, Chris and a if given the opportunity.” would be bringing in can all bat so If he manages to slam a ton at replacing Jeet Ravel at the top of the through their paces in the nets on Woakes and spinner Jack number Root also said that the while we’re taking a batter out, the MCG, he will join an elite list order. Christmas Day. Leach have all contracted of team is determined to we’re probably lengthening our of Aussie cricketers who have The dangerous Boult missed “It’s important we learn from a flu-like illness which is make sure that Stokes and line-up.” scored a century in four consec- the first Test in Perth, with a rib some bits of Perth but turn our focus spreading in the team. his family get all the sup- Australia head into the utive innings. injury that also kept him out of their to Melbourne and changing condi- Despite Archer, Broad and port they need. Melbourne clash on the back of While the legendary Don final clash against England. tions and perhaps not be too reac- Leach being quarantined, “We are here to play three wins at home this summer — Bradman did it thrice, Jack But he has worked his way back tive to that performance.” Woakes somehow con- cricket and to win the two against Pakistan before their Fingleton (1936), Neil Harvey to fitness, desperate to play in the Williamson was also keen to tracted the virus. series but most impor- 296-run thrashing of New Zealand (1949-50), Matthew Hayden Black Caps first Boxing Day Test at ensure his players do not get carried Additionally, all tantly we want to make in the first Test at Perth, a day- (2001-02 and 2005) and Steve the Melbourne Cricket Ground since away with playing in front of such a rounder Ben Stokes’ avail- sure that Ben and his fam- night affair. Smith (2014-15) are the other 1987, with a crowd of more 75,000 big crowd during one of the most ability in the first Test is ily have got all the support Marnus Labuschagne has been Australians to have slammed cen- expected on day one. prestigious days on the cricket cal- also in doubt due to his they can get. It’s crucial their star batsman, smashing his turies in four straight Tests. Williamson also confirmed endar. father Gerard Stokes being that that comes first.”