y

k y m c

TAAPSEE STAYS FOCUSED AMERICA IS BACK: BIDEN ENGLAND IN CONTROL Actor Taapsee Pannu is not letting her fight US Prez Biden Thursday said his admin will repair Skipper Joe Root led from the front with with Kangana Ranaut disturb her work, as relationships with allies and engage with the an unbeaten century to help England reach 263/3 on Day 1 she is focusing on shooting LEISURE | P2 world once again INTERNATIONAL | P10 SPORTS | P12

VOLUME 10, ISSUE 305 | www.orissapost.com BHUBANESWAR | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6 | 2021 12 PAGES | `4.00 IRREGULAR by MANJUL Farmers call pan-India ‘chakka jam’ today THE BLOCKADE WILL NOT BE HELD IN NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION, UP AND UTTRAKHAND

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi/Ghaziabad, Feb 5: Probe into ‘foreign Protesting farmers will not block roads in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand hand’ in farmers’ stir during the nationwide ‘chakka jam’ NEW DELHI: A multi-agency probe is Saturday even as agitating unions as- currently underway to look into the serted that peasants in other parts of allegations of involvement of foreign Don’t worry, dear. I will be fine. RBI keeps repo rate forces in the farmers' movement, These days police are too busy with standup the country will block national and especially in the collection of funds comedians, journos, environmentalists,... state highways for three hours but in a peaceful way. and its use in supporting the The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an um- agitation in India. The National unchanged at 4% brella body of the farmer unions protest- Investigation Agency (NIA) has ing the three farm laws, said emergency sought information from at least five AGENCIES ‘TAKE COVID and essential services such as ambulance countries, including the UK, USA, and school bus will not be stopped dur- Canada, Denmark and Sweden in Mumbai, Feb 5: The ing the ‘chakka jam’ that is proposed to connection with its investigation in Reserve Bank of India (RBI) JAB OR FACE the Gurupatwant Singh Pannu-led be held between 12 pm and 3 pm. kept rates steady at record Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and other Bharatiya Kisan Union leader low levels as expected Friday SALARY CUT’ Khalistani extremist groups. The Rakesh Tikait said that there will no move was confirmed by MEA and said it would maintain POST NEWS NETWORK road blockade in Uttar Pradesh and spokesperson Anurag Srivastava support for the economy’s re- Uttarakhand Saturday, but added when he said that a request has gone covery from the pandemic Cuttack, Feb 5: Healthcare and that farmers in these two states can to the United States under the Mutual by ensuring ample liquidity rate or its borrowing rate Anganwadi workers in the dis- be called to the national capital any Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). for markets to absorb a mas- was left unchanged at 3.35%. trict will face a pay cut for refus- time and that they have been kept Farmers plant flowers near the spikes fixed by the police, during their protest against sive government borrow- The repo rate has been ing to take COVID-19 vaccine, dis- on standby. new farm laws, at Ghazipur border in New Delhi, Friday PTI and climb the flagpole on Republic Day. ing programme. cut by a total 115 basis points trict Collector Bhabani Shankar Talking to reporters at the Ghazipur On Friday, Darshan Pal, a senior “Going forward, the since March 2020 to cushion Chayani said Friday. protest site, Tikait said that farmers in jam’ mode. All roads for entering into the senior officers of the force and re- member of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, said Indian economy is poised the shock from the coron- “It has been found that a large small groups will submit a memoran- Delhi will remain open except where viewed the security arrangements. that ‘chakka jam’ will remain com- to move in only one direction avirus pandemic, following number of health/Anganwadi dum to district headquarters in Uttar farmers' protest sites are already lo- After the January 26 violence that pletely peaceful and non-violent, adding and that is upwards. It is a 135 bps reduction since be- workers who have registered them- Pradesh and Uttarakhand. cated,” the SKM said in a statement. had left over 500 security personnel in- that protesters have been asked to not our strong conviction, ginning of 2019. Das said the selves under different establish- Thousands of farmers, mostly from In a bid to avoid what happened dur- jured and one protestor dead, Shrivastava to indulge in any conflict with gov- backed by forecasts, that in six members of the mone- ments are not turning up for Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar ing farmers' tractor parade on Republic had accused the protesting union lead- ernment officials or any citizen. 2021/22, we would undo the tary policy committee (MPC) COVID-19 vaccination. As vacci- Pradesh, have been camping at three Day, the Delhi Police has taken additional ers of betrayal and breaching agree- The SKM had earlier this week an- damage that COVID-19 has were unanimous in their de- nation coverage in Cuttack is one Delhi border points – Singhu, Tikri measures this time, including tight- ment as thousands of peasants devi- nounced this nationwide ‘chakka jam’ inflicted on the economy,” cision to keep rates on hold. of the lowest in the state, it is and Ghazipur – for over 70 days, de- ening security and intensifying vigil at ated from their pre-decided routes for Saturday, saying that farmers would RBI Governor Shaktikanta He said that the economy’s causing a great embarrassment,” manding a complete repeal of three the city's border points, to deal with any the tractor parade. block national and state highways for Das said after announcing growth outlook had improved the Collector said in a letter to Central farm laws. situation emerging out of the ‘chakka Tens of thousands of farmers atop three hours in protest against the the rate decision. and that inflation was ex- Cuttack Municipal Corporation “There will be no ‘chakka jam’ pro- jam’, officials said. tractors had broken barriers, clashed Internet ban in areas near their agitation The repo rate or RBI’s pected to remain within the commissioner, SCB Medical gramme inside Delhi since all the Delhi Police Commissioner SN with police and entered the city from sites, harassment allegedly meted out key lending rate was held at RBI’s targeted range over College and Hospital principal protest sites are already in a ‘chakka Shrivastava also held a meeting with various points to lay siege to the Red Fort to them by authorities, and other issues. 4% while the reverse repo the next few quarters. and dean, Cuttack chief district medical & public health officer and a few other officials. Chayani also requested the top ` officials to sensitise the CM launches 13cr Victim was one-month pregnant: Sources health/Anganwadi workers to come forward for vaccination. “Further, you may instruct the HIGH-LEVEL PROBE ORDERED TO IDENTIFY HEADLESS WOMAN’S BODY, KILLERS persons registered under different projects in Kotia POST NEWS NETWORK Meanwhile, the headless body The sources also claimed that torso of the victim. However, po- establishments under your juris- was Friday sent to the AIIMS, the miscreants had reportedly stran- lice are yet to ascertain the iden- diction to take COVID-19 vaccine Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: The Bhubaneswar, for further exami- gulated the victim to death several tity of the deceased. Senior police positively by February 10 – the AFTER ANDHRA ANNOUNCES POLLS, ODISHA Commissionerate Police Friday set nations. Earlier, medical officers hours before bringing her body to official told Orissa POST that the last date for vaccination of the LAUNCHES PROJECTS IN KOTIA up a special team headed by an at the Capital Hospital had Thursday the spot on Dasapur-Andharua lady might be a native of some health/Anganwadi workers – fail- Additional DCP rank official to conducted post-mortem of the body. road. The accused allegedly sev- other state. They have no clue to ing which their salary/remuner- POST NEWS NETWORK velopmental activities across the probe the ghastly murder of an The investigating cops hope to get ered her head at the secluded spot identify the woman apart from the ation/stipend for the month will state spanning from Malkangiri to unidentified woman whose headless several vital clues from the au- near Dasapur village where the one anchor-shaped branding mark not be drawn,” the Cuttack Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: Amidst the Mayurbhanj and Koraput to Cuttack. body was found in Chandaka area topsy report. Meanwhile, sources body was found Thursday morning. on her arm. Collector said in the letter. border dispute with neighbouring “Odisha is our mother, Odia is our here Thursday. Speaking to the in the police revealed startling facts Later, they fled from the spot The police also sent the details re- Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister language, Mahaprabhu Jagannath media, DCP Umashankar Dash about the deceased lady. The cops along with the severed head, which garding the lady to police stations in Naveen Patnaik Friday inaugurated is our supreme deity, Jagannath said that the additional DCP will suspect that the victim was prob- they might have disposed some- the neighboring states to identity of MARKET WATCH developmental projects worth `13 culture is our culture and Koraput be assisted by five other senior ably one-month pregnant at the where else. The cops also found the victim. The slum dwellers near crore for Kotia Panchayat in Pattangi is our second Srikhetra,” he said. officials of city police. time of her murder. C-section surgery marks on the the spot are also being questioned. region of Koraput district. He also Highlighting on the pivotal role INDEX VARIATION laid the foundation stone of a bridge played by Koraput during India’s estimated to cost `5 crore. freedom movement, the Chief SENSEX 50731.63 117.34 In the notification for the polls, Minister paid his homage to great FOR DEMOCRACY HSC Matric exams to it has included Talaganjeipadar, freedom fighter Saheed Laxman BOURSES NIFTY 14924.30 28.60 Phatuseneri and Phagunaseneri Nayak. A special documentary on commence from May 3 DOLLAR 73.36 `0.08 villages under Salur the developmental activities in block.Inaugurating the projects Kotia region was also presented POST NEWS NETWORK EURO 87.53 `0.25

CURRENCY through video-conferencing mode, on the occasion. GOLD `47,084 `369 Naveen said “Kotia will be trans- The move came after Andhra Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: The School formed into an ideal Gram Pradesh government announced and Mass Education department SILVER `68,027 ` 1,209 Panchayat.” All-round development panchayat elections in bordering Friday announced the dates of BULLION works in education, health, con- villages of Kotia scheduled the High School Certificate (HSC) nectivity, drinking water and elec- February 13 and 17. In view of the Matriculation examination-2021. tricity supply will be undertaken in controversy, the state government The exams will be conducted WEATHER the region,” he said. The Chief Friday transferred Koraput from May 3 to 15 and the students BHUB CTK Minister said he will very soon Collector Madhusudan Mishra will answer their papers at their visit Kotia area to meet the people ahead of the polls. own school. MAX 31.6° 31.8° Besides, social and food security In 2018, the CM had announced Similarly, Madhyama (Sanskrit) are being provided to people in a special package worth `150 crore exam will be conducted from May TEMP MIN 13° 12.6° Forecast Kotia and initiatives have been for development of Kotia panchayat. 3-12, while Open School exam will Humidity 89% 72% Fog or mist taken to ensure a better livelihood Both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh be held from May 3-15, a statement Rainfall Nil Nil in the of the people. Patnaik said the gov- are claiming the Kotia region as Myanmarese refugees in India participate in a protest against the ousting of Myanmar’s elected government and its issued by the department said. morning ernment has been initiating de- their land. leader Aung San Suu Kyi in New Delhi, Friday PTI PHOTO Each Internet shutdown costs India `2 crore/hour MORE THAN 400 INTERNET SHUTDOWNS IN 4 YEARS SHOW INDIA BLOCKS ITS INTERNET MORE FREQUENTLY THAN ANY OTHER DEMOCRACY In an academic year marred by AGENCIES cess to information, including rogated in the Parliament be- The Department of by AccessNow. The Internet shut- the COVID-19 pandemic, the Class the internet, fundamental to tween August 4, 2019, and March Telecommunications (DoT) pro- downs in India have not only X students will answer questions New Delhi, Feb 5: The year the freedom of expression 4, 2020, - for 223 days. vides ‘Temporary Suspension been imposed due to undesir- for 80 marks in each paper instead 2021 has started with a series and a hallmark of a thriving India shuts it’s Internet down of Telecom Services (Public able events. Out of the 79 shut- of 100 marks. This year, the Board of Internet lockdowns in India. democracy. more frequently than any other Emergency or Public Safety) downs in 2017, 61 were preventive of Secondary Education (BSE) The country has seen seven in- Jhajjar, Sonipat, and Palwal democracy in the world, said a Rules, 2017,’ which allows tem- while only 18 were reactive, ac- had extended the last date for fill- cidences of internet shutdowns districts in Haryana have borne report by Forbes. Within India, porarily suspending the tele- cording to Internetshutdowns.in. ing up of forms for matriculation - including five cases at the farm- the maximum brunt of the re- Jammu and Kashmir faced the com services, including that of Further in 2018, 67 incidents of examinations. The BSE said the last ers’ protest site in Haryana and cent Internet shutdowns. maximum Internet outage. the internet in an area. The sus- Internet shutdowns were pre- date for filling up and submitting the national capital region in However, internet shutdowns Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West pension order can either be is- ventive while the same number of forms has been extended to the last one month. The sus- are not uncommon in India. Bengal, Haryana, and sued by the Union Home of shutdowns was reactive. February 10. Earlier, the BSE had y pension of internet services The country has witnessed more Maharashtra follow Jammu and Secretary or the State Home Internet shutdown also hurts announced February 2 as the last

around the protest site has at- than 400 internet shutdowns in Kashmir. The shutdown lasts Secretary in an event of public the economy. A report by date for filling up of forms.

k y m c tracted attention across the world the last four years. for days in many cases. 21 shut- emergency or in the interest of top10vpn revealed that the cost The state government has also even as the government has not In fact, the world’s longest downs in 2017, five in 2018, and public safety. of the Internet shutdown in decided to conduct parent-teacher extended the internet shut down Internet shutdown was also re- six shutdowns in 2019 lasted for Countries, such as India, which India was $2.7 billion in 2020 as meetings (PTMs) for Class X stu- at the farmers’ protest site. ported in India. The internet more than three days. have laws that facilitate and le- it continued for 8,927 hours, in- dents across Odisha February 13 The US State Department said was shut down in Jammu and Indian laws include the pro- galise shutdowns tend to order cluding hours of simultaneous for the upcoming annual HSC ex- that it considers unhindered ac- Kashmir after Article 370 was ab- vision to shut down the Internet. more shutdowns, said a report shutdowns at different places. amination-2021. P2 IAN SOMERHALDER SHARES KEY TO THE WHITE TIGER MAKES IT TO BAFTA SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 6 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR A GOOD ROMANCE LONGLIST IN SEVEN CATEGORIES Actor Ian Somerhalder says communication is the The White Tiger has found mentions across top key to a healthy marriage. The actor also revealed categories in the longlist of the BAFTAs this year. The that he and his wife Nikki Reed always make sure White Tiger has found mention in seven categories —

they speak to each another and make time for Best Film, Best Director, Adapted Screenplay, Leading y

leisure themselves as a couple. Actor, Supporting Actress, Cinematography and Editing.

k y m c FORTUNE FORECAST Ayushmann opens up Taapsee stays

ARIES on his look in Anek You are deeply interest- Mumbai: National Award-win- take risks while portraying un- ed in the occult and the focused amid chaos paranormal and today, ning Bollywood star Ayushmann usual roles. you may indulge in something to do Khurrana collaborates once again “I have always been an eager with it. So, you may buy a full colour with filmmaker Anubhav Sinha artiste who wants to contribute Mumbai: Actress Taapsee captioned the image. 15x10 glossy on shamanic rites or the in the upcoming film Anek, and towards building my characters Pannu is not letting her Looop Lapeta is a Hindi adap- tantra! Ganesha suggests using such his slit eyebrow in the first look stills and how it will look on screen,” fight with actress Kangana tation of the 1998 German film knowledge for peaceful ends. has generated widespread interest Ayushmann noted, adding: “I al- Ranaut come in the way of Run Lola Run, starring Franka among fans. The actor says the ways make these mental notes and her work, and says she is Potente and directed by Tom idea was to create a distinct look. discuss them.” focusing on the shoot of her Tykwer. Bollywood has already TAURUS Opening about his character He falls back on recent instances upcoming film, Looop Lapeta, adapted the concept in 2003, by Joshua in the film, he said: “I have to make his point. “In Shubh amid all the chaos. Taapsee way of late Anant Balani’s Ek This day your mind is like- been fortunate to collaborate with Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, for in- Friday used Instagram to share Din 24 Ghante, starring Nandita ly to be blissfully drawn towards your personal filmmakers who encourage me to stance, my character wears a nose her state of mind along with a Das and Rahul Bose. friends and family members. Your warm add my creative inputs to their vi- ring. I had bounced this idea off (di- picture where she looks at a Looop Lapeta is directed by and intimate relationships will stay upper- sion of storytelling. The eyebrow rector) Hitesh (Kewalya) and (pro- scene being shot. Aakash Bhatia and slated to most in your mind and fill the day, not slit I am sporting in Anek was an ducer) Anand Rai sir. I am glad “When you are in between 2 release later this year. leaving room for anything else. idea I discussed with Anubhav they took this input. Similarly, perspectives, in middle of wired Kangana Thursday had sir. It was about cre- Shoojit (Sircar) sir was happy up chaos and what you do in the slammed Taapsee for support- ating a distinct with the idea that I would frame is going to matter...... ing farmers. Taapsee had GEMINI look that the have a lisp in Gulabo chin up, feet up and just focus! tweeted: “If one tweet rattles audience Sitabo,” he recalled. Coz not everybody gets this your unity, one joke rattles You will keep your emo- has never Ayushmann privilege ....(Also coz u r getting your faith or one show rattles tions aside and concen- trate solely on your work seen me in, liked to be an ‘ac- clicked by the lens man dou- your religious belief then it’s today. You will have to waste a lot of time and I am tive voice’ when bling up as producer @at- you who has to work on in fulfilling the demands made by those glad that he teams up ulkasbekar) #LooopLapeta strengthening your value sys- around you. However, the more demands people have with someone. #SetDiaries tem not become ‘propaganda you fulfill, the more their expectations will noticed and IANS #SaviTheChiller,” she teacher' for others.” IANS rise, says Ganesha. are dis- cussing it.” Ayushmann, CANCER who is known to Rituparna plays blind New positive turn in life be Bollywood’s balance, of lovers. It may lead to Mr Disruptor for New Delhi: trying to be marriage. You will play his unconventional Bollywood actor Saif stable for children at the role in bonding all mem- woman in Antardrishti bers of the joint family and will meet roles, says he has Ali Khan is looking for- same time, the instability of with success. you will respect tradition found support within ward to embrace fatherhood your own career,” he added. Mumbai: Bengali star Rituparna Sengupta is currently and custom. Adopt a careful approach, the indus- again as his wife Kareena The actor contin- shooting for Antardrishti in Uttarakhand. The film counsels Ganesha. try to Kapoor Khan is expected ued: “But now, I marks the directorial debut of the veteran cine- to deliver their sec- think I am more set- matographer Kabir Lal, and is a revenge thriller. ond baby this tled. I’m in a posi- Speaking to IANS in between shots, Rituparna LEO month. Saif says tion to just enjoy hav- said: “The film is a thriller and the story of two You will be extremely fatherhood has ing family around and sisters. It is a murder mystery in which the serious about your work made him stable, having children around. younger sister gets killed. The story follows the today and will work dili- and that at the mo- It’s a good phase.” elder sister’s (played by her) journey to find gently to finish your ment he is in a Saif and Kareena, the truth behind the mysterious death. My tasks. You will be focussed and position to who are fondly called as Saifeena character is visually challenged. So, it is very disciplined about your projects. You will feel the need to improve your style of enjoy hav- by their fans, got married in interesting to see how she navigates her way functioning. ing chil- 2012. They also share a son, to uncover the truth.” dren Taimur. Saif also has son The film is a remake of the around. Ibrahim and daughter Sara Spanish thriller Julia’s Eyes VIRGO “It Ali Khan from his first and being shot in four lan- Your ambitions and was marriage with actress guages — Bengali, desire to undertake great Amrita Singh. Marathi, Tamil and more work will be very fun, the It is not just his per- Kannada. prominent today. After entire sonal life that seeing The Bengali ver- working hard all day, try to get yourself process, new beginnings. There sion features Sean some recreation and relaxation, perhaps at a private party, a social gathering or especially has been redefinition Banerjee and maybe even at a marriage reception, the making!” on the professional front, Indrajeet says Ganesha. Saif joked too. His career found Chakroverthy when we congrat- a new boost when he with Rituparna, ulate him. ventured into digital space, while the LIBRA Asked how fatherhood and wowed audiences with Marathi version has changed him, the 50- Sacred Games. He was also seen titled Adrushya You will be drawn year-old actor told IANS: “I in the controversial web show, Tandav. co-stars Manjari towards those of the think there is a certain amount of Fadnnis. The opposite sex today says Opening up about the changing tone of en- Ganesha. You will meet more patience and stability in life. I tertainment space, he said: “Everything Tamil version, people who share the same wavelength was more impatient earlier, and lit- is in kind of flux (right now). The world titled Un that you do in the afternoon, and this will tle more concerned with what I’m is changing in many ways. We don't Paarvaiyil, fea- lead to a lot of interesting discussions. doing and where I’m going, and (it even know how it's going to change… tures Gayatri was) unsettling generally. (I was) But there is a lot of uncertainty.” Shankar. IANS trying like most people to IANS SCORPIO Expressing your feelings becomes important at some point of time. Today, SUDOKU you are in a mood to PEANUTS post To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, express emotions for your near and dear CROSSWORD column and box must contain the numbers ones. And why not? After all, they need to 0 to 9 and the letters A to E. be appreciated. Though your heart is full of emotions today, do not express in a way that you become vulnerable in eyes of gen- eral public.

SAGITTARIUS No wonder, if you feel like you are stuck in a rut. Your energy level and enthusiasm has gone for a toss due to mundane routine. Unfortunately, your stars too seem to be lazy today, and there's nothing on the cards that can cheer you up. CALVIN AND HOBBES CAPRICORN At times you are very direct in your approach and often end up hurting your near ones badly. Today, you'll bandage some old wounds and make efforts to restore old SOLUTIONS relationships, says Ganesha.

AQUARIUS The cupid may strike you today! The singles may feel the energy and excitement of budding romance. Equally blissful day for the married couples, too, as they will spend quality time with each other. Go BREVITY down the memory lane, go through CROSSWORD some photo albums and cherish those long lost moments, says Ganesha.

y PISCES

Unexpected expenses are

k y m likely to crop up today. c There are strong indica- tions that you will set out upon a journey or a picnic to some nearby place, without too much prior planning. However, the journey will be comfortable and your travel plans will go off without a hitch. CHECK FOR SOLUTIONS OF THE PUZZLES TOMORROW SUDOKU COVID-19 TRACKER P3 MATTER OF LIVELIHOOD SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 6 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR INFECTED RECOVERED DEAD With the easing of World 10,55,95,765 7,73,00,019 22,99,320 Covid-19 restrictions, large number of vending stalls India 1,08,02,591 1,04,96,308 1,54,823 have come up on Puri beach

downtown Odisha 3,35,466 3,32,611 1,908

k y m c Rail Budget designed to loot Odisha: BJD Divyang training centre head

POST NEWS NETWORK approximately Rs 20,000 crore from Odisha in railway sector. “During detained for sexual harassment Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: A day after past seven years, it had collected the Centre said that it has allocated about Rs 1,40,000 crore. However, in around Rs 6,995 crore for the de- return, the state has got Rs 14,000 POST NEWS NETWORK Accused Suresh velopment of railway sector in crore in railways. Is it not step- Behera had been Odisha, the ruling BJD Friday said motherly attitude towards Odisha?” Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: The that the Railway Budget was made he asked. Commissionerate Police Friday de- absconding after a with an intention to loot minerals Another BJD spokesperson tained Suresh Behera, the prime ac- sexual harassment from the state. Shreemayee Mishra asked Bolangir cused in alleged sexual harassment Addressing a presser here, BJD MP Sangeeta Singhdeo and of the differently-abled students case was registered spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi and women staff of a divyang train- a few months ago Odisha was once again neglected by to reply why the Khurda-Bolangir ing institution at Palaspalli under Pic for representation the Centre in the Railway Budget railway project has emerged as a ‘his- Airport police limits here. for the year 2021-22. BJD spokespersons Lenin Mohanty, Shreemayee Mishra and Sulata Deo address toric slow project’. However, police refused to di- Notably, a special team has been and office bearers January 25. “During British rule, railway the media persons in Bhubaneswar, Friday Rubbishing the allegations, BJP vulge the details of the matter. formed by DCP, Bhubaneswar to The incident of alleged sexual line was constructed in Odisha to spokesperson Golak Mohapatra Behera, the head of ‘All Odisha probe the allegations of sexual ha- abuse of the inmates and opera- loot minerals. Unfortunately, the During British rule, railway line The railway projects said, “The railway projects were Orthopedically Handicapped rassment in the training institu- tion of a sex racket in the disabil- incumbent government at the Centre was constructed in Odisha to were delayed in the delayed in the state due to delay in Welfare Association’, had been ab- tion for divyangs. ity centre came to the fore after a is also doing the same thing 75 years loot minerals. Unfortunately, the state due to delay in land acquisition by the state gov- sconding following the registra- On other hand, the State lady brought the matter before after the Independence,” Mohanty incumbent government at the Centre land acquisition by the ernment. Had the state government tion of a sexual harassment case by Commission for Persons with media persons recently. said. is also doing the same thing 75 years state government allotted land for the railway projects a woman a few months ago. Police Disabilities also took suo motu cog- The woman also named a senior If coal is not extracted from on time, the projects could have nabbed Behera from Nayagarh. nizance of the matter and launched functionary of the centre and ac- after the Independence GOLAK MOHAPATRA I Odisha, power and steel sector in the been taken up expeditiously and On February 1, the police had a probe into the allegations of run- cused him of running a sex racket LENIN MOHANTY I BJD SPOKESPERSON BJP SPOKESPERSON entire country would suffer a lot, he money would not have been re- also arrested one Madhu Manjari ning of a sex racket at training and even engaging inmates in the said, adding, “In return, Odisha is mained unutilised,” Mohapatra Dhal, an employee of the institute, centre in Airport police station immoral activities by luring money. getting nothing except for pollu- Sambalpur, Koraput-Rayagada, Boudh, Mayurbhanj, Kendrapara, said. for allegedly torturing and forcing area. A team of the commission, led The woman had lodged a com- tion.” During past 75 years, only Daitari-Bansapani, Lanjigarh- Deogarh and Malkangiri are yet The BJD should rise above pol- an inmate to keep sexual relation- by its chairperson Sulochana Das, plaint in the Airport police station six new railway lines have been Junagarh and Khurda-Bolangir, he to see trains, he said. itics and help in development of ship with a person. visited the centre and met inmates November 23 last year. constructed in the state. These lines said. The BJD leader further said the railway sector in the state, the BJP are—Cuttack-Paradip, Talcher- Six districts namely, Kandhamal, Union government has collected leader added. All-party meet soon Koraput coffee a big ROW OVER FARM BILLS for Budget Session hit at Adivasi Mela POST NEWS NETWORK BHUBANESWAR: The Adivasi Mela- Chakka Jam in state today Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: Assembly Speaker 2021 being organised in the city Surya Narayan Patro Friday said he here is witnessing huge footfall would convene an all-party meeting soon each passing day. The organic NO PLAN TO CLOSE DOWN PETROL PUMPS IN STATE, SAY OUTFITS to decide the timing of the upcoming products sold in the fair have Budget Session in view of Covid-19 become a major attraction for the POST NEWS NETWORK planned to organise their agita- also follow discipline. There is no pandemic. people. The Koraput coffee which is tions.The Chakka Jam has been plan to close down petrol pumps. In “As Parliament has divided the day to branded as one of the exotic coffee Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: Several planned from 12pm to 3pm across Bhubaneswar, the agitation will be hold sessions of Rajya Sabha and Lok variety has been attracting large farmer outfits in the state have the state. “As per the call given by organized near Hanspal square Sabha, we will soon convene an all-party number of people to the fair. The planned to organise ‘Chakka Jam’ the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha, the while in other areas, the same will meeting to decide the timing for holding then king of Koraput, Raj Bahadur to press for fulfillment of their de- Navnirman Krushak Sanghatan be done at important points,” the Budget Session of Assembly,” Rama Chandra Deo, had started mands for amendments to the con- (NKS) in the state has decided to ob- Akshay said. Suresh Panigrahi, Patro said. coffee plantation in the tribal- troversial farm laws of the Union serve the bandh in around 23 dis- General Secretary of the State All The Covid-19 restrictions will be relaxed dominated district in 1930s. The government. tricts of the state to press for amend- India Kishan Sangarsh Samanwaya for the members. But, all have to follow coffee plantation was taken over by This comes after the call from ments in the controversial farm Samiti Committee said, “The the guidelines like social distance, wear- the government in 1960. At present, ‘Sanyukta Kisan Morcha’, the um- bills. Some other farmer outfits protests have been planned to unite ing masks and washing hands etc, a joint venture of TDCCOL and the brella body of farmer outfits fight- are likely to join us for the cause,” the farmers and demand for amend- he said. coffee board is producing 100 per ing on the issue at national level. The Akshay Kumar, Convenor of NKS, ments in the laws. We have planned cent Arabica premium roasted filter Navnirman Krushak Sanghatan, the Odisha said, to mobilise the farmers for the coffee having a smooth taste and All India Kishan Sangarsh “We have always believed in non- protests in Odisha too after the call CRUT MD gets int’l recognition richness of dark coffee beans. Samanwaya Samiti and others have violence and the chakka jam will from the umbrella organization.” for sustainable mobility State asks 12 varsities to implement e-office POST NEWS NETWORK Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: POST NEWS NETWORK only cumbersome but also time The Covid-19 restrictions will Recognising the effort of Capital TRANSPARENCY BOOST consuming. By implementing e- Region Urban Transport (CRUT) Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: In a bid to n e-office, a digital workplace solution, aims at office, paperwork will be reduced be relaxed for the members. during the Covid-19 crisis, man- ensure transparency, effectiveness, ushering in transparency and expediting the pace of to a great extent,” said a source But, all have to follow the aging director (MD) of CRUT, accountability as well as conven- movement of files from one department to another in familiar with the ultramodern Arun Bothra, has been hon- Arun Bothra ience in work culture, the state government/semi-government offices workplace solution. guidelines like social distance, oured as one of '21Heroes2021’ government Friday asked 12 uni- It added that the e-office system wearing masks and washing by TUMI (Transformative Mayor of Singra in Bangladesh versities in the state to implement n The system will not only come handy for employees to locate files easily, will not only come handy for em- Urban Mobility Initiative), a Zannatul Ferdous and Govenor ‘e-office system’. but also go a long way in achieving the goal of paperless office ployees to locate files easily, but hands etc, said the Speaker leading global implementation of Jakarta in Indonesia Anies Higher Education (HE) depart- will also go a long way in achiev- initiative on sustainable mo- Baswedan among others. ment Principal Secretary Saswat ing the goal of paperless office. Though Covid-19 test will not be made bility. The individuals highlighted Mishra wrote to the vice chancel- Initiative (CMGI), a society under for early implementation of e-office The HE department also wrote mandatory for MLAs and others for the The publication in this publication are a small, lors of Utkal University, Berhampur the administrative control of in the universities,” the HE de- to the Registrars of Utkal upcoming session, those who will found ‘21Heroes2021’ honors those yet powerful group of people, University, Sambalpur University, General Administration and Public partment Principal Secretary University, Sambalpur University, with Covid symptoms will not be al- who, despite historic challenges, who are actively contributing to Rama Devi Women’s University, Grievances department, is the au- pointed out. Gangadhar Meher University and lowed inside the House, he said. made a difference to sustain- make mobility future-oriented, Ravenshaw University, Gangadhar thorised agency in Odisha to im- Sources said that e-office, a dig- Khallikote University to revert Earlier, he had stated that Question able mobility in 2020 and laid the safe, inclusive and sustainable. Meher University, Fakir Mohan plement e-office in state government ital workplace solution, aims at with the details of physical as well Hour, which was cancelled during last two groundwork for even more suc- It is worth mentioning here that University, Khallikote University, offices and establishments, in- ushering in transparency and ex- as financial progress of the varsities session of the House, will be held in the cessful initiatives in 2021. CRUT won Urban Mobility India Kalahandi University, Rajendra cluding state public universities. pediting the pace of movement of funded under Rashtriya Uchchatar Budget Session. The list of heroes includes award 2020 given by Ministry University, Maharaja Sriram “As e-office’ implementation ex- files from one department to an- Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) at the The session will commence with SpaceX-Founder and CEO of of Housing and Urban Affairs Chandra Bhanja Deo University penditure is borne by CMGI out of other in government/semi-gov- earliest. Governor Ganeshi Lal’s address February Tesla Elon Musk, former Mayor (MoHUA) for Covid manage- and Shree Jagannath Sanskrit its budget, state public universities ernment offices. The institutions were expected 18 and continue till April 9, 2021. Finance of Cochin Corporation Soumini ment in November last year. University in this regard. don’t have to incur any expenses “Since government offices deal to turn up with the details by Minister Niranjan Pujari will present an- Jain, Mayor of Paris Anne The theme was ‘Innovations un- According to Mishra, the Centre for it. Therefore, the universities with a lot of files that pass through January this year, but they could nual budget for the year 2021-22 before Hidalgo, Bicycle Mayor of dertaken in Urban Transport for Modernizing Government are directed to kindly contact CMGI several stages physically, it is not not, said a source. the House, February 22. Mexico City Areli Carreón, during Covid-19’. ROAD SAFETY AWARENESS Min calls for massive plantation drive in City

POST NEWS NETWORK SMART CITY PROJECTS Communications Network and ICOMC were discussed at length. Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: Housing he minister said This apart, several projects in and Urban Development (H&UD) Tthat the civic the pipeline like Lake Neutral, Minister Pratap Jena reviewed the authorities should Railway Station Multi-Modal Hub, progress of various projects being launch a sustained and Bhubaneswar Museum of Urban executed under Bhubaneswar detailed campaign to History and e-Rickshaw were also Smart City Limited (BSCL) at Lok make the citizens discussed at the review meeting. Seva Bhawan here, Friday. The aware of the various While chief executive officer (CEO) minister advised the city authori- projects completed of Smart City Prem Chandra ties to undertake massive planta- successfully and those Chaudhary briefed the minister tion drives across the Capital city being undertaken regarding the progress of each in order to increase the green cover. under the umbrella of project, other senior officials of The minister said that the civic smart city initiative BSCL were also present during the authorities should launch a sus- discussion. tained and detailed campaign to Jena took immense interest in assessing The iconic structure, once Among the completed projects of make the citizens aware of the var- the capacity, deadline, facilities and completed, will house the BMC the Bhubaneswar Smart City ini- ious projects completed success- other details of the ongoing projects like and Smart City offices and the tiative, Social Equity Centre at fully and those being undertaken ICOMC-BMC Building whose work is Integrated City Operations and Kharvela Nagar, IPSC building at under the umbrella of smart city completed up to 9th floor Management Centre Sahid Nagar, Smart Park in Sahid initiative. Nagar, Adoptive Traffic Control Jena took immense interest in as- based BMC-Bhawani Mall. The en- and Sahid Nagar, Integrated Public System, Common Payment Card, I sessing the capacity, deadline, fa- tire structure will have 11 floors Service Centre (IPSC) building at am Bhubaneswar initiative, cilities and other details of the on- including top seven floors for rental Bapuji Nagar, Socially Smart Bhubaneswar Urban Knowledge going projects like ICOMC-BMC purpose in order to make the op- Bhubaneswar, Mission Awaas Centre, Bhubaneswar One, Public Building whose work is completed eration of the building (taken up by BDA in convergence Bicycle Sharing Scheme were also

up to 9th floor. The iconic struc- sustainable. mode), Smart Traffic Management taken up for discussion.

k y m c ture, once completed, will house Projects like sensory park, a fa- System, Smart Tracking System, Jena was briefed about the City the BMC and Smart City offices cility for recreation of the spe- Smart Parking Management, Smart Investments to Innovate, Integrate and the Integrated City Operations cially-abled persons at Sahid Nagar, Response and Incident Management and Sustain (CITIIS) project under and Management Centre (ICOMC), Smart Janpath from Sishu Bhawan System, Smart Governance and BSCL, which will focus on the de- which is currently functioning at Square to Vani Vihar, two multi-level Smart Connect e-Governance, Solid velopment of open spaces across the Women traffic police personnel take part in a road safety awareness rally in Cuttack, Friday OP PHOTO the Smart City office at Sahid Nagar- car parking at Rajmahal Square Waste Management, city. P4 SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 6 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR downtown

Thrust on raising fish exports Spar over Swaminathan panel advice

k y m The Centre has not implemented all the recommendations of MS Swaminathan Commission, says BJD c

POST NEWS NETWORK 50 per cent increase on cost of pro- ` duction, we meant the C2 as the Process begins to fix paddy MSP to 20,000 crore in 5 years New Delhi, Feb 5: A day after total cost of production.” Patra Union Petroleum Minister said that even Swaminathan him- Bhubaneswar: The Commission asked the state government to reply POST NEWS NETWORK Dharmendra Pradhan attacked the self is not accepting the fact that the for Agricultural Costs and Prices on number of procurement cen- Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for allegedly Swaminathan Commission report (CACP), the nodal agency to rec- tres operated in the state during the Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: Agriculture, not presenting facts regarding im- has been fully implemented. ommend the Union government last three Kharif Marketing Seasons Fisheries and Animal Resources plementation of MS Swaminathan Patra also explained the three about fixation of minimum sup- (KMS), details of paddy procure- Development Minister Arun Sahoo Commission recommendations, components of cost of production port price (MSP) for various crops, ment made in last three years from Friday asked the officials concerned the BJD Friday re- of farm- has initiated the process to fix the farmers, availability of certi- to focus on enhancing fish exports taliated by saying ing as paddy MSP for 2021-22 cropping fied/quality seed, irrigated & un- to Rs 20,000 crore in next five years that the Centre has mentioned season. irrigated area among others. and implement the 5T and Mo not implemented all in the The CACP has prepared ques- The Centre has fixed the paddy Sarkar initiatives in the depart- the recommenda- commis- tionnaires and sent them to the MSP at Rs 1,868 per quintal for ment. tions. sion re- state government for its response. 2020-21 while it was Rs 1,815 per Sahoo was chairing a review BJD MP Sasmit port. He The Commission has sought quintal during the previous year. meeting of Fisheries department Patra, while speak- apprised reply from the state Water The Odisha Assembly had passed at Krushi Bhawan here, sources BLUE REVOLUTION! ing on the Motion of the house Resources, Agriculture and Food a resolution unanimously to move said. The minister also said that the More than 15 lakh people In Twenty years ago, fish production in Thanks on that the Supplies & Consumer Welfare de- the Centre for fixation of paddy Fisheries department should focus Odisha are working directly Odisha was 2.6 lakh tonne, but now it President’s Address first is A2 partments. The Commission has MSP at Rs 2,930 per quintal. on raising fish production in the and indirectly in the fisheries has gone up to 8.16 lakh tonne in the Rajya Sabha, which state and doubling the income of sector and the sector said that had the Swaminathan deals with the out of pocket ex- fish farmers. witnessed 57 per cent growth Now, Odisha is exporting fisheries Commission Report been actually penses of a farmer such as the rentals for the land,” said Patra port be implemented fully with the More than 15 lakh people In in last five years products worth Rs 3,243 crore annually implemented, the minimum support seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and adding that the increase of 1.5 times on C2 cost of Odisha are working directly and in- price (MSP) of paddy would have other inputs. Swaminathan Commission production be undertaken,” Patra directly in the fisheries sector and from 7.71 kg in Odisha in last 20 to use more biofloc technology been 1.5 times of Rs 1,560 per quin- “The second component is A2 + Report had asked the government said. the sector witnessed 57 per cent years. Now, Odisha is exporting for fish production. Moreover, tal, amounting to Rs 2,340 per quin- FL which includes the cost of A2 and to implement the MSP at 1.5 times It is to be mentioned here that growth in last five years. Twenty fisheries products worth Rs 3,243 steps should be taken to facilitate tal. includes Family Labour (FL) i.e. of this C2 value but the govern- Pradhan on the Motion of Thanks years ago, fish production in Odisha crore annually, sources added. more people availing benefits of “Instead, the MSP was fixed at Rs the cost of the human labour that ment has not done that. on President’s Address Thursday was 2.6 lakh tonne, but now it has The minister suggested that entrepreneurship scheme in the 1,750 per quintal in 2018-19, thereby the farmer and his family con- “According to the Commission for had attacked BJD for allegedly not reached 8.16 lakh tonne, said sources the officials should give priority fisheries sector, said the clearly proving that the tribute to the farming. Agriculture Prices and Costs, the presenting facts regarding the im- in the Fisheries department. on fish sperm production in state. minister. Swaminathan Committee report The third component is C2 which C2 cost of production for paddy plementation of Swaminathan At present, Odisha holds the Besides, steps should be taken for “In order to raise fish export has not been fully implemented,” is the totalof A2+FL as well as in- was fixed at Rs 1,560 per quintal,” Commission recommendations. He fourth rank in fish production in the development of fish sperm from state, we must focus on im- Patra said. cludes the opportunity cost of land, he added. had asked both Prasanna Acharya the country. The fish consumption production centres. proving the skills of the fish farm- Quoting Swaminathan, the BJD the interest for the loans taken by “BJD has been demanding that and Sasmit Patra to read the rec- per person has risen to 16.64 kg He also directed the officials ers,” Sahoo added. MP said, “When we recommended the farmer as well as the imputed the Swaminathan Commission re- ommendations properly. Big push to school AIMING HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT Covid shots for frontline adoption plan

POST NEWS NETWORK workers from today Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: The school adoption programme under ‘Mo School’ campaign has received a POST NEWS NETWORK shot in the arm after Chief One fresh death pushes toll to 1,908 Minister Naveen Patnaik recently Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: The state appealed to the MPs, MLAs and bu- Health and Family Welfare de- PNN & AGENCIES demise of 83-year-old COVID pos- reaucrats to adopt schools across partment has planned to start ad- itive patient of Cuttack, who was the state. ministering Covid-19 vaccines for Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: State’s Covid- also suffering from diabetes mellitus Many ministers, IAS officers the frontline workers in the state 19 tally mounted to 3,35,466 Friday & hypertension (sic).” and others are coming forward from Saturday. The department as 97 more people tested positive for Of the total 1,908 fatalities, Khurda to adopt schools for their holistic has made adequate arrangements the infection, while one fresh fa- accounted for 335, followed by development. for the same. tality pushed the death toll to 1,908, Ganjam (248), Sundargarh (173), In a communication to the Urban a senior Health and Family Welfare Cuttack (142) and Puri (117). According to School Local Bodies, Collectors and other (H&FW) department official said. Altogether, 3,32,611 patients have departments who are likely to get Of the fresh cases, 58 were re- recovered from the disease in the and Mass Education vaccination assistance, the de- ported from quarantine centres state. department, over 144 partment has asked their senior and 39 detected during contact trac- According to the official, 2,36,923 officials to get vaccinated against ing, said the official. health workers have been vacci- schools have so far the deadly virus. Nine districts—Bhadrak, Boudh, nated till Thursday. been adopted by 114 Jagatsinghpur, Kandhamal, Health department’s additional adopters including 13 Koraput, Malkangiri, Nayagarh, chief secretary PK Mohapatra be- Nabarangpur and Subarnapur— came the first IAS officer in the ministers/MPs/MLAs, did not report any fresh case in the state to receive the shot of Covid- 53 IAS officers, 4 IPS last 24 hours. Sundargarh and 19 vaccine. He was administered Cuttack districts recorded 16 new ‘Covaxin’ at the Capital officers and 2 cases each, followed by Bargarh Hospital here. IFS officers (12). The coastal state now has 894 Mohapatra urged health workers, FILE PHOTO active cases.Two districts— who are reluctant to receive the According to School and Mass They also appealed them to come Kandhamal and Nabarangpur— shots of Covid vaccine, to come Education department sources, Puri Collector Samarth Verma, who has adopted Biswambhar Bidyapitha in Puri for its holistic development under forward in good numbers to en- have become ‘Covid free’, while forward without any hesitation. over 144 schools have so far been the state government’s ‘Mo School’ campaign, takes stock of the institution, Friday OP PHOTO sure that they set examples and Boudh, Bolangir, Dhenkanal, The state has conducted over adopted by 114 adopters includ- lead the drive by allaying the fears Keonjhar, Koraput and Malkangiri 78.19 lakh sample tests for Covid-19, ing 13 ministers/MPs/MLAs, 53 of the drive from the minds of peo- have active cases in single digits. including 23,688 Thursday, and the IAS officers, 4 IPS officers, 2 IFS ` Prashanti Exp to be ple from the state. Health depart- Taking to Twitter, the H&FW de- positivity rate stands at 4.29 officers, 26 state service officers and Cyber crooks dupe man of 75L ment Additional Chief Secretary partment said, “Regret to inform the per cent. others from different government cancelled partially Pradipta Mohapatra got the vac- departments and district admin- POST NEWS NETWORK the benefit of an insurance policy cine Friday and posted the same on istrations. by reputed private firm. Though the BHUBANESWAR: Bhubaneswar- social media to encourage others to 8,937 CITY COPS TO GET JABS The ministers/MPs/MLAs have Bhubaneswar, Feb 5 : Cyber crim- victim initially refused to buy it, Bangalore-Bhubaneswar Prashanti get vaccinated. adopted 29 schools, while 53 IAS inals duped an elderly person here later he budged to the repeated re- Express will be cancelled partially In the second drive against Covid- BHUBANESWAR: Commissionerate Police has made elaborate officers adopted 59 schools. of around Rs 74.97 lakh on the pre- quests and various allurements by in view of safety related 19 vaccination, the policemen, rev- arrangements for the second phase of vaccination drive beginning The ministers include Finance text of covering him under an in- the cyber fraudsters. modernisation work February 7 Saturday. Speaking to the media persons, Police Commissioner enue department, sanitation work- Minister Niranjan Pujari, Panchayati surance policy of Rs 2 crore. The Rath alleged that several per- and 8, 2021. The non-interlocking Sudhanshu Sarangi Friday said that 8,937 cops and home guards from the work would be undertaken at ers and others will be given the Commissionerate Office, Bhubaneswar DCP office, 7th battalion, and Raj Minister Pratap Jena, Higher victim was identified as Ramaballav sons identifying themselves as staff vaccine who worked during the Education Minister Arun Sahoo, Rath of Forest Park area in the of departments and Ministries like Baiyyappanahali station west state intelligence department, SOG training centre and Biju Patnaik State cabin. Bhubaneswar-Bangalore pandemic to ward off the pandemic Police Academy are likely to receive vaccination doses Saturday. The School and Mass Education Minister Capital city. Union Finance Ministry contacted threat. BMC Commissioner Prem Samir Ranjan Dash, Energy According to sources, Rath has him and produced fake documents Prashanti Special from vaccination programme will be carried out at three places in Bhubaneswar will run between Chandra Choudhury said that dif- Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra, lodged a complaint with the cy- of the government agencies. Bhubaneswar that includes the hospitals in Reserve Police line, the 7th Bhubaneswar and Satya Sai ferent department employees are battalion and at the head quarters of commissionerate police. Similarly, Women and Child Development bercrime police station at Cuttack. The victim has reportedly de- Prashanti Nilayam (SSPN) station now all set to get the assistance 6,867 cops and home guards from 11 departments will get the shots at Minister Tukuni Sahoo, Sports and According to the complaint, Rath posited around Rs 74.97 lakh in February 6 and 7 and will remain and plans have been made accord- Netaji Indoor Stadium in Cuttack. The vaccination programme will Youth Affairs Minister Tusharkanti received a phone call reportedly various accounts provided by the cancelled from SSPN to Bangalore. ingly for the drive in the state cap- commence at 9.30am and DGP Abhay will be the first to take the jab. Behera and others. Apart from this, from a man who identified him- fraudsters. Bangalore-Bhubaneswar Prashanti ital. “Plans have been made to vac- several corporations, institutions and self as the agent of a central gov- Police have started an investi- Special from Bangalore will cinate the frontline workers from ers and employees from the rev- has been done to ensure a smooth others adopted the schools under the ernment employee in June. gation into the matter after originate from SSPN instead of BMC, police, other frontline work- enue department. Microplanning drive from Saturday,” he said. programme. The caller asked the victim to get registering a case. Bangalore on these days.

CLASSIFIED HONING SKILLS IMD issues cold-wave warning for 3 days POST NEWS NETWORK to avoid prolonged exposure to cold LOSTAFFIDAVIT during night/early morning. Keep Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: The India live stocks indoors and shaded I, Sri Nirakara Nayak, Meteorological Department (IMD) areas during night and early morn- S/o- Srikantha Nayak of Friday issued cold-wave warning for ing, the weather department said. Village- Baulagadia, P.O.- several districts. Meanwhile, mercury plummeted Iswarpur, P.S- Nilgiri, Via- Cold-wave is likely to prevail at below 10 degrees Celsius at five Bahanaga, Dist.- Balasore. one or two places in Sundargarh, places of the state during past Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Keonjhar, 24 hours. Mob: 9437201085 my deed Kandhamal and Kalahandi, Sunday. Phulbani recorded the lowest of No.- 3653, 3899 and urgent Similarly, a few places in 5.5 degrees Celsius while it was 6.5 papers with Bag have lost Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, degrees Celsius at Daringbadi, 9.5 while I am returning by Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, degrees at Koraput and 9.8 degrees Bus after finishing my Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, February 8 and 10, the IMD said. ay both of Bolangir and daily work at Nilgiri. Balasore, Bhadrak, Boudh, Sonepur, The Met department said cold Bhawanipatna. Cuttack and Please inform me if a Bolangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, would be tolerable but warned of Bhubaneswar recorded a minimum Nuapada and Nabarangpur would mild health concerns for in- temperature of 12.6 and 13 degrees kindhearted person has A training session for employees of 108 ambulance service in progress at Puri Youth Hostel, Friday OP PHOTO witness cold-wave condition during fants/elderly people. It has advised Celsius, respectively.

received the same.

k y m c P5 SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 6 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR state

ROW OVER ROAD

k y m Farmers await revival c of Nayagarh sugar mill Legal tangle continues as HC admits intervener’s petition over its revival

The next hearing of the case will be held April 12. During the hearing, the HC had admitted intervener’s petition (1869/1/2/2021) moved by lawyer Ranjit Das. Admitting the case, the HC has issued notices to UCO Bank authorities, the Collector and the managing director of the sugar mill to submit their FILE PHOTO replies

Lawyer Ranjit Das, in his petition, stated that over 30,000 farmers in the district depended on Nayagarh Sugar Mill People of 17 panchayats under Sadar block of Nayagarh district stage protests over a bid to lay a PMGSY road through a forest. The three-year old row took at Panipoila. The mill was capable of crushing 1.2 lakh tonnes of sugarcane. The sugar mill played a significant role an ugly turn Friday. As tension flared up, police were deployed in the area. OP PHOTO in bolstering the agrarian economy of Nayagarh and its adjoining districts. But the sugar mill got closed while farmers and staff of the mill have not received their dues 3 minor bike riders POST NEWS NETWORK two-member HC bench to file fresh ceived their dues. replies on the affidavits of the Later, machinery of the sugar Maoist threat: 85 tribal families fined `29K in SBP Nayagarh, Feb 5: A legal tangle and Collector and the managing direc- mill worth `25 crore has been stolen growing uncertainties over closed tor of the sugar mill. due to lack of security. Das also POST NEWS NETWORK Nayagarh sugar mill are yet to be The next hearing of the case will pointed out that the HC had di- resolved even as thousands sugar- be held April 12. During the hear- rected formation of a task force to leave homes in Malkangiri dist Sambalpur, Feb 5: Intensifying cane growers in the district have ing, the HC had admitted inter- investigate the theft and deploy po- vehicle checking, Sambalpur RTO been waiting for the reopening of vener’s petition (1869/1/2/2021) lice as a security measure on the fac- POST NEWS NETWORK occupied by the displaced fami- has cracked down on violators of the mill. Many farmers, who de- moved by lawyer Ranjit Das. tory. But the HC order has not been lies. The villagers of Rajulkonda new MVI Act Friday. RTO offi- pended on the sugar factory, have Admitting the case, the HC has is- executed, he alleged. Malkangiri, Feb 5: Eighty five informed in writing to cials imposed a fine of ` 29,000 on migrated to other states in search sued notices to UCO Bank author- The HC was urged to direct the families belonging to 12 villages of Chitrakonda tehsildar T minor bike riders at Tabala under of jobs, a report said. ities, the Collector and the man- state government for taking im- Swabhiman Anchal under Padmanav about the incident. Sasan police limits. Three minors The High Court held a hearing aging director of the sugar mill to mediate steps for revival of the Chitrakonda block in Malkangiri “We were scared to live in our were going on a bike with regis- of the case Thursday through video submit their replies. sugar factory and recover the stolen district have been forced to leave own villages and used to stay tration no-OD-15-L2049 when RTO conferencing mode. Nayagarh Lawyer Ranjit Das, in his petition, machinery. their homes due to threats issued awake all night fearing attack officials caught them for triple Collector Poma Tudu and manag- stated that over 30,000 farmers in In the intervenor’ petition, the HC by the Maoists. This shocking and from the Maoists. But finally we riding. They were fined `29,000 in ing director of the sugar mill Sabir the district depended on Nayagarh was urged to direct the parties con- painful development came to the fore their ancestral houses and prop- decided to leave village when we total for multiple violations such Panda had submitted their affi- Sugar Mill at Panipoila. The mill was cerned to clear the dues of the Thursday. erties two days back. The fright- could not bear fear anymore,” said as riding without helmets, insur- davits detailing assessment of the capable of crushing 1.2 lakh tonnes farmers and the sugar factory staff. Sources said the families from vil- ened villagers have taken refuge a family head. ance, triple riding. sugar mill’s properties (made on of sugarcane. The sugar mill played The lawyer has submitted a copy lages in Panasput, Jodamba, in an orchard near Rajulkonda Meanwhile, Malkangiri district A chalan was issued against January 28) to the HC through their a significant role in bolstering the of the FIR filed against the Collector Andarapali and Nakamamudi pan- village in the district. administration and local police the bike owner Jamant Hati of counsels. agrarian economy of Nayagarh January 19, 2021 at Nayagarh police chayats had been receiving death Some residents of Rajulkonda have started discussions with the Khulia village. RTO Trilochan On the other hand, owner of and its adjoining districts. But the station and a copy of the asset list threats from the Maoists. village who have been carrying families for their rehabilitation Patra said that one of the riders Naya Sugar Complex Ltd Trailokya sugar mill got closed while farmers of the sugar mill prepared by the Unable to take the risk any- out farming activities in the or- and safe return to villages, is a class-VIII student while the bike Mishra has sought permission of the and staff of the mill have not re- administration March 12, 2020. more, the panicked families left chard faced problems after it was Padmanav informed. had no insurance. Petrol gift to newlywed couple Satabhaya victims still await farmlands POST NEWS NETWORK

POST NEWS NETWORK Kendrapara, Feb 5: Climate change is taking a heavy toll on Satabhayaya Jharsuguda, Feb 5: Ever heard villages under Rajanagar block in of petrol being given as a gift to a Kendrapara district. Panchubarahi newlywed couple? Debasish temple in the area is close to van- Patnaik from Jharsuguda district, ishing amid sand owing to sea ero- whose wedding reception party sion. Some coconut trees that towered was organised Thursday, did not over the coastal landscape have lost expect such a bizarre gift from their existence. Gobindapur, his friends either. Mohanpur, Kharikula, At the venue, the couple was Chintamanipur and busy meeting and receiving guests Badagahiramatha have vanished at the dais. Just then, Debashis’s into the sea while Kanpur disap- friends arrived with a container. peared in 2011. ‘Petrol, highly inflammable’ was A tube well near the temple is written on it. buried under a growing sand dune. Not only the couple but all the Acres of farmlands in these seven vil- guests were taken aback seeing lages which were main sources of the unusual gift. livelihood are sand cast. Justifying their act, the FILE PHOTO On the other hand, friends said the price of petrol 571 families of the picturesque is skyrocketing. Now, people seven coastal villages who were belonging to middle-income victims of climate change and 571 families of the esidents are facing livelihood crisis as group have started feeling the massive coastal erosion engulf- DFO Bikash Ranjan Das said plan- picturesque seven coastal they have not been provided farmlands pinch. This apart, every house- ing major areas have been shifted R villages who were victims till date. Reports said, their farmlands have tation has been undertaken in hold has either two-wheelers and resettled at Bagapatia - a low of climate change and not been compensated with provision new Satabhaya. or four-wheelers that make lying area close to the troubled site, massive coastal erosion lands eligible for farming On the other side, many other vil- petrol an essential commodity. by 2018. Only a few families are engulfing major areas have lagers, who were earlier dependent That is why they decided to gift clinging to their traditional home- been shifted and resettled nvironmentalists like Biswajit Mohanty, on catching fish for their livelihood, five litres of petrol to their land at Barahipur. at Bagapatia - a low lying EHemanata Rout and Laxmidhar Swain have also suffered setbacks as many friend. But they are facing crisis in the area close to the troubled said Satabhaya is a small sample of of them are now bound to buy the Some guests took it as a token livelihood as they have not been pro- site, by 2018. Only a few climate change-induced coastal erosion products from the market. of protest against the govern- vided farmlands till date. Reports families are clinging to for about 12 km. Mangrove forests at It is said that most farmers have ment’s failure in reigning in the said, their farmlands have not been their traditional homeland Satabhaya and Kanpur have vanished, lost their agriculture lands in the price of petrol which is a burden compensated with provision new at Barahipur using in coastal erosion process, but most of them still con- on the already burdened middle- lands eligible for farming. tinue to visit their lost habitats at class families. Environmentalists like Biswajit and Kanpur have vanished, using in make use of the area for the tourism Satabhaya by boats. In the past, when the price of Mohanty, Hemanata Rout and coastal erosion. They observed that sectors by setting up cottages at As for land, ADM Basant Kumar onion hovered around `100 a Laxmidhar Swain said Satabhaya is the forest department should take Habelikhati. Rout said 148 families of Satabhaya kilogram in the past, many a small sample of climate change- steps for creating mangroves in the Despite sea erosion, new man- had applied for relocation at newlyweds were gifted with induced coastal erosion for about 12 area so as to prevent sea erosion. grove forest is being generated from Bagapatia. After investigation, they onion packets. km. Mangrove forests at Satabhaya Besides, the government should Pentha to Satabhaya, he added. will be rehabilitated, he added. Non-procurement of ITI student earns lakhs from farming paddy: BJP stages stir POST NEWS NETWORK POST NEWS NETWORK He is earning lakhs of rupees annually from it. People do not like Kesinga, Feb 5: Protesting against Phulbani, Feb 5: Prakash Chandra doing banana cultivation in the non-procurement of paddy at Pastikudi Dehuri, an ITI student of Budhdani hilly areas of the district. But procurement centre under Kesinga village under Phulbani block in Praksh took it as a challenge and block in Kalahandi district, BJP lead- Kandhamal district, did not like to wanted to get it done ers Friday staged a sit-in at the centre. run after government jobs. He rather According to BJP leaders, 9,000 quin- preferred plantain and banana He has grown 3,086 banana plants tals of paddy belonging to 103 farm- on his 2.5 acres of land. “I hope, if farming and has scripted success ` ers have been lying in open at Pastikudi setting an example for others. things go right, I will get 6 lakh mandi for 15 days now. As a result, the this season,” he asserted He is earning lakhs of rupees farmers have also been at the mandi for annually from it. People do not like Prakash’s father Harischandra the same period guarding their paddy doing banana cultivation in the eked out his living by farming sacks round the clock, experiencing hilly areas of the district. But banana and other crops on this extreme weather conditions. Praksh took it as a challenge and land. Prakash completed ITI and According to distressed farmers, the wanted to get it done. unsuccessfully tried to seek a job mill owners are not lifting paddy from He has grown 3,086 banana plants COVID LOCKDOWN AND RESTRICTIONS MADE LIFE MISERABLE FOR HIM. in private and government sectors, Pastikudi mandi. There is a delay in on his 2.5 acres of land. “I hope, if HE WANTED TO GO IN FOR BANANA FARMING ON HIS LAND but he did not feel encouraged procuring paddy by Primary Agriculture things go right, I will get `6 lakh this Cooperative Society as more than the season,” he asserted. made life miserable for him. He 40 per cent subsidy. With the help He observed that many youths targeted quantity of paddy has already Prakash’s father Harischandra wanted to go in for banana farming of his father, he planted the saplings. are frustrated after unsuccessfully run- been procured, it is learnt.

eked out his living by farming ba- on his land. Prakash sought the help Most banana plants have borne ning after jobs. They should do farm- Showing solidarity with the farmers,

k y m c nana and other crops on this land. of the horticulture department fruits. They have already earned ing banana which is a lucrative crop. Bhawanipatna MLA and Leader of Prakash completed ITI and un- about high-yielding variety of ba- `50,000 by selling banana. Many farmers fail to do farming for Opposition in Odisha Legislative successfully tried to seek a job in pri- nana. The department provided “A bunch of bananas is being shortage of input funds. The gov- Assembly Pradipta Kumar Naik, Zilla vate and government sectors, but him technical knowhow and G-9 sold for `500 to `600. My father sells ernment should provide financial Parishad vice-chairman Bhaba Sindur he did not feel encouraged. variety of banana saplings from a the banana bunches in Phulbani support to the unemployed youths to Mangaraj and some others staged a Covid lockdown and restrictions Maharashtra-based company with market,” he said. make them self-reliant, he suggested. sit-in at the paddy procurement centre. P6 SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 6 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR power post

FOCUS DIGITAL PLATFORMS A hero fears nothing,

complains of nothing and

k y m never gives away. c THE MOTHER TIME TO REGULATE BIG TECH

f the COVID-19 pandemic has six months to sign off on the DSA, taught us anything, it is that and member states will take at the speed of government de- least 18 months to implement it. NGT flak for Kerala Icision-making can be just as Of course, we should leverage important as the decisions them- Europe’s diverse perspectives and erala’s Chief Secretary Vishwas Mehta came under fire from the selves. If democracies are to retain expertise to develop the most com- National Green Tribunal (NGT) over the continued ineffective solid their authority in the twenty-first prehensive, innovative, and ef- Kwaste management in Kochi. century, they must combine the de- fective strategies. And we must According to sources, the tribunal made scathing remarks against the state bate and consensus-building at engage in democratic debate and government while criticizing the affidavit filed by Mehta and threatened to which they excel with the effi- consensus-building. But that does prosecute officers responsible for ensuring that parameters of environ- ciency and agility they often lack. not mean we can delay solutions mental safety are met. The tribunal lamented that the chief secretary’s af- When we resign ourselves to to urgent problems. It took about fidavit did not show any effective action being taken on the ground, despite the belief that democratic systems a year for Trump to go from po- several directives issued in the past two years. must move slowly, we risk allow- litical outsider to US president- The tribunal, quoting a report by the State Pollution Control Board, noted ing undemocratic actors to chal- elect. How much can happen while that the municipal authorities in Kochi were continuing unauthorized op- lenge these systems’ effectiveness While suspending Donald Trump’s social media the DSA is being deliberated and erations and were yet to start work for bio-mining. and legitimacy. And when we del- accounts was the right move for democracy, implemented? The directive came while the tribunal was hearing a case seeking direc- egate the administration of pub- With technology transforming tion to take effective steps for infrastructure development for collection, stor- André lic debate to such actors – as we have deplatforming a sitting President is a highly the world at an unprecedented rate, age, segregation and disposal of tonnes of waste, termed legacy waste, that Loesekrug-Pietri done with social-media platforms consequential decision. It should be a cause and forecasting trends becoming has accumulated over the years in Kochi’s Brahmapuram area. – we compound that risk. more difficult than ever, regula- Ironically, the adverse comments come at a time when the state govern- This has been starkly apparent for serious concern that a few tech companies tory and legislative processes must ment claims that it is strictly following the “green protocol” and Chief THE MESSAGE IS since the storming of the US were able to make it, based not on an become far more agile. One possi- Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared more than 11,000 government offices and Capitol on January 6. Because ble solution is the introduction of public sector undertakings as “green” on Republic Day! CLEAR: DIGITAL then-President Donald Trump in- impartial rule of law, but on proprietary terms temporary “pop-up regulations.” cited the insurrection, Twitter of service and the will of their top bosses With an expiration date set from Nitish to weed out deadwood in Home Dept PLATFORMS NOW suspended his account, instantly the start, such regulations could The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar is moving ahead with its an- PLAY A CENTRAL cutting him off from his 89 million be enacted far more quickly than nouncement last year of retiring identified ‘inefficient’ employees. The followers – a base built over sev- Trump’s Twitter account, in orbitant power. For years, these comprehensive legislation – pos- state Home Department headed by the Chief Minister has set up high-level ROLE IN THE eral years and tens of thousands particular, was integral to his pres- companies have shaped – or dis- sibly in a matter of days. They committees to implement the order. DESTABILISATION of false, misleading, and incen- idency, public image, and person- torted – public debate with algo- can be extended, adapted, or made According to sources, a committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary diary tweets. Other social-media ality cult. His tweets always of- rithms designed to immerse users permanent if they prove to be ef- of the Home Department Amir Subhani will deal with Group A employees OF DEMOCRACIES platforms, including Facebook, fered a glimpse into his mood. in “echo chambers,” where they are fective, constructive, and com- of the department. The panel also includes Special Secretary Vikash Vaibhav, followed suit. And Amazon ter- They often contained hateful, di- exposed primarily (or only) to patible with a society’s values. among others. The other committee will be headed by Secretary of the minated its web-hosting services visive, and deceptive messages. views similar to their own, thereby But they don’t have to be. Home Department K Senthil Kumar and include joint secretary Bimlesh Kumar for Parler, the unmoderated plat- And they sometimes issued major fueling polarisation. One regulation that should be Jha, among other senior officials. It has been tasked with identifying the dead- form where Trump would have announcements, from firing sen- Moreover, for years, digital plat- implemented urgently is a form of wood from among Group B, C and found many adoring supporters. ior officials to threatening foreign forms refused to flag or remove government oversight for social- D employees. Both committees will BABUDOM These decisions were taken in countries. Trump’s Twitter ac- false, misleading, or incendiary media bans. Trained judges or meet every year in June and a matter of hours, and imple- count thus directly fueled the uptick content. Instead, seeking to max- some other politically independ- December to consider the propos- BYTES mented in a matter of seconds. in volatility and instability, on both imize user engagement (and thus ent official agency could uphold or als to retire identified officers. Meanwhile, US Democrats were Wall Street and Main Street, that the user data they could sell to ad- impose bans on politicians who Further, the department has in- Dilip Cherian still drawing up articles of im- characterized his presidency. vertisers), they allowed the likes of defy or undermine the rule of law. structed all offices and directorates peachment. Given this, Trump’s expulsion Trump to spread lies, stoke re- The “digital bill of rights” that under it to set up such panels at their level. To be sure, Trump was im- from social media should be wel- sentment, and encourage violent some advocate may have its mer- Previously, in 2017, the state government had announced to compulsorily peached within days – a dramatic comed. One might even argue that movements. Parler, Gab, DLive, its, but it cannot rein in Big Tech retire non-performing education department officials, school headmasters acceleration of usual democratic it should have happened long be- and others were used to orches- and protect democracy during a and teachers after disappointing matric and intermediate exams. But the de- procedure. But his Senate trial fore the Capitol insurrection. trate and execute the Capitol in- time of unprecedented transfor- cision was not followed through, say sources. Will it be any different this time? has yet to take place, and appears Nonetheless, deplatforming a sit- surrection. The message is clear: mation. The only way to do that is unlikely to result in any lasting con- ting president is a highly conse- digital platforms now play a cen- by developing new, more agile in- Return of the prodigal? sequences (namely, a ban on Trump quential decision. It should be a tral role in the destabilisation of stitutions. After all, every day Is Shah Faesal, the former IAS officer from Jammu & Kashmir, contem- holding office in the future). At cause for serious concern that a few democracies. spent devising, debating, and im- plating a return to the civil service that he had quit in protest against “un- the rally preceding the insurrec- tech companies were able to make Europe, for one, recognizes this. plementing new rules is a day that abated killings” in Kashmir? A tweet by the ex-babu, who was the first tion, Trump’s loyal attorney, it, based not on an impartial rule The European Commission’s new increases the volume of misin- Kashmiri to top the civil service exam, in response to Prime Minister Rudolph Giuliani, called for “trial of law, but on proprietary terms Digital Services Act, unveiled in formation, hate speech, and other Narendra Modi’s “Mann Ki Baat” programme seems to hint a change of mind, by combat” to dispute the elec- of service (and personal inter- December 2020, will impose greater destabilising narratives that say some observers. In his tweet, Faesal praised the PM’s radio program and tion results. What Trump will vention by their top bosses). responsibilities on social-media benefit antidemocratic forces. wrote that “communication can build solidarities….” probably end up getting is a damna- The digital giants’ James Bond- companies for policing their plat- The buzz around Faesal’s plans has only grown, especially when he quit tio memoriae. like “license to kill” a user's account forms for hate speech and other il- The writer is a technology Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement, the political party he had set up That matters. But, in the im- (and not only that of a president legal material. But, again, timing investor and Speaker of the barely a few months later. mediate term, deplatforming who came “from Russia with love”) poses a serious problem: the Joint European Disruptive Interestingly, his resignation as an IAS officer in January 2019 has been Trump matters more. is only one expression of their ex- European Parliament will take Initiative. ©PROJECT SYNDICATE kept in abeyance all this while. The government has not accepted it, pend- ing the investigation into some of his social media posts. That it was never accepted means that the door is still open for him to re- join the IAS. Watch this space for updates! Share a babu experience! Follow [email protected]. SPECTRUM URBAN PLANNING Let’s multiply the effect WISDOM CORNER When are we going to invest in cycling? Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. LAO TZU id we miss something in the troduced across the entire city. It The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house year of COVID-19 pandemic seems the latest measures have of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind. Dfrom the Union Finance encouraged people to take up cy- KAHLIL GIBRAN Minister? Even though we’ve heard cling as bicycle use is up by 44 a lot about the ‘historic Budget per cent compared to last year. One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a 2021’ what was the investment pro- dancing star. FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE Many cities across the globe are vision in cycling around India, and preparing for an uncertain future what about Smart Cities? Well, we - unsure if the old way of living will might need Right to Information Act be possible again. A pandemic re- WORDSWORTH to get an answer. ally shifts mindsets quickly. Cycling Piyush Ranjan Rout But let’s look at Europe. They too is proving to be a solution for more are redesigning their cities. More and more people. Mad as cheese than £907 million has been spent on But the question is whether they IN EUROPE, MORE cycling infrastructure and 2,300 will keep it up once the fear of the his is mainly a British expression, now very common. However, examples THAN 2,300 KM OF km of new bicycle lanes have been rightly said Milan needed the coro- are now completely car-free. The coronavirus subsides and whether Thave started to appear in American publications, suggesting it is making rolled out since the pandemic began. navirus pandemic to introduce bi- more space you give for bicycles the the move to bicycle is permanent. inroads there. Mad here is used in the sense of crazy or deranged, not angry. An NEW BICYCLE Cycling has come out as a big win- cycle lanes. more they will be used it is what It takes political will, it takes in- example was heard in the BBC Radio 4 programme Start the Week on 27 March ner and the pandemic has shown In an attempt to prepare the peo- Paris believes. vestment, and it takes activism on 2006, when the presenter, Andrew Marr, described the painter Van Gogh’s mental LANES HAVE BEEN the potential that cycling has to ple, the regional government in Cycling levels have increased the part of citizens who want that. state in this way. The Sunday Mirror mentioned that it appeared in the British film ROLLED OUT SINCE change our cities and our lives. Milan has spent €115m to stimulate by 27 per cent compared to last Further it will need courage from Confetti: “Naturists Michael (Robert Webb) and Joanne (Olivia Colman) want to But what has all this money been cycling. The government has year. This is partly due to the ex- politicians to make the changes tie the knot in the nude. They are helped by the wonderfully camp wedding THE PANDEMIC spent on? And what might the long- pledged subsidies of up to €500 if tensive approach taken by the glued in ground. planners — ‘we’re mad as cheese, us!’” Hallmark has had a line of greeting cards BEGAN term impacts of this investment be? citizens want to buy a new bicycle French government, which is of- The ‘historic Budget 2021’ did in the UK called Mad as Cheese since July 2003. There are plenty of examples This is what four major cities have or an e-scooter in a bid to keep fering a €50 subsidy towards the cost miss what cities across the globe available online, showing it dates back to the middle 1990s at least. Logically been doing in Europe. people off public transport and of bicycle repairs. were able to put in place. Cycling minded readers may wonder why cheese should be less sane than any other The industrial hub Milan in out of cars. Further north in Brussels, 40km at the core of urban mobility dur- comestible, but such considerations have no place in the creation of new northern Italy was one of the first More than 800km away from of bicycle lanes have been cre- ing the pandemic and post crisis expressions. You can tell that from related sayings, such as mad as a pink cities in Europe to invest in cy- the Italian fashion capital, the ated along some of the city’s would have lessened the burden balloon, mad as a box of frogs, and that old Northern standby, daft as a brush. cling as a way to get the people French capital Paris invested €20m busiest roads. In order to free up on petrol and diesel, and improved moving around again. There are since the start of the pandemic. The space so that social distancing air quality. 35km of new cycle paths, although most iconic change is on the no- rules can be adhered to, there is The writer is an urban Mad as hops many of these are temporary. Milan toriously busy Rue de Rivoli, which a zone where pedestrians and cy- management practitioner. He tried to build bicycle lanes before, stretches across Paris from east to clists have priority over cars. can be reached on Twitter here are indeed a number of old expressions using the word hops in the but car drivers protested. Someone west. Some sections of this road Speed limits have also been rein- @piyushrout. Tsense of the plant. One was as thick as hops, referring to the dense mats of creeper you can get when hops grow wild and unchecked, and another was as fast as hops, because the plant dies back in winter and then grows very rapidly from its base each spring. These were both known by 1630 at the Job creation Migrants’ welfare latest. The phrase hopping mad also dates from the seventeenth century, but it uses a different sense of hop, the one of jumping up and down on one Sir, The state government is going to launch a wage scheme named Mukhya Mantri Sir, The Surat Urban Development Authority has foot, in other words of being so angry that one is literally unable to keep still. Karma Tatpara Abhiyan (MUKTA) for creating employment opportunities for the urban decided to provide nearly 400 houses under the It seems that sometime in the nineteenth century in the US somebody etters people, informal and migrant labourers. This initiative will help create ecologically sus- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) on rent punned by combining these phrases to create as mad as hops. The tainable and climate resilient community assets. The state government had introduced to migrant workers. The Affordable Rental expression is first recorded in Harper’s Magazine in 1884, but is probably the urban wage employment initiative in April last year to provide rapid and immediate Housing Scheme (ARHC) has recently been ap- older. So there’s nothing mad about the plant at all. TOL THE EDITOR employment to urban poor after they were rendered jobless due to the lockdown. While proved by the Union Ministry of Urban Affairs Readers of Orissa POST 13 lakh man-days were generated, sustainable livelihood opportunity was provided to 3.5 and Housing. The ARHC is a sub-scheme of the are most welcome to contribute letters lakh urban poor, 40 per cent of whom were women, under the scheme and more than 6,000 PMAY announced last year, and Surat will be the (200 words), articles and projects of Rs 70 crore completed in the last nine months. The informal workforces in the first to be implementing it. The proposal is to LOL columns (between 750-1250 words). Contributors are state’s 114 urban local bodies will be benefited from the scheme and it will empower convert 396 houses built under the PMAY (urban). requested to send their women, SHGs and slum development associations. The wages of beneficiaries will be di- The labourers can stay in rented premises shar- I JUST HAD A Valentine’s day. What do contact numbers and full rectly credited into their bank accounts. As per the scheme, community centres, Parichaya ing rooms with other labourers in the colonies

you think it means?” postal address/email ID. They may also centres, Mission Shakti Gruhas will be built and activities like storm water drainage and to reduce the expenses of house rent. This is a

k y m send in their valuable comments, opinion c DREAM ABOUT IT “You’ll know tonight,” he said. and suggestions, preferably by email, rainwater harvesting, peripheral development around water bodies, sanitation, increase welcome initiative. Hope that all state govern- That evening, the man came home to: [email protected] in green cover and beautification and open space development are undertaken. An esti- ments will construct more houses for the migrant young woman was taking an with a small package and gave it to mated 35 lakh man days per year will be generated under the scheme. It will create com- workers. Such housing facilities may also help Aafternoon nap. After she woke up, his wife. Delighted, she opened it -- munity assets worth more than Rs 150 crore primarily in the form of Parichaya Centres to prevent reverse migrations of workers. she told her husband, “I just dreamed only to find a book entitled “The B-15, Rasulgarh Industrial Estate, and Mission Shakti Gruhas. that you gave me a pearl necklace for meaning of dreams.” Bhubaneswar-751010 Hitesh Kumar Parida, PANIKOILI (JAJPUR) Amit Singh Kushwaha, SATNA (MP) ASSAM P7 ANDHRA PRADESH

SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 6 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

k y m Regional parties may play Vizag steel plant staff oppose privatisation move c INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Visakhapatnam, Feb 5: Hundreds of Visakhapatnam steel plant em- ployees, political parties' cadres, a big role in Assam polls among others in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam are protesting INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE against the recent decision an- nounced by the Central govern- Guwahati, Feb 5: In the run-up to ment in Union Budget 2020-21 to the Assam Assembly elections, the privatise the steel plant. state's regional parties are consol- “This is the worst decision taken idating themselves to ensure multi- by Modi government. Making a 100 cornered fight and diminishing per cent strategic sale of the steel chances of the traditional bipolar plant is wicked. Andhra Pradesh de- politics. veloped because of Visakhapatnam The ruling Bharatiya Janata Steel plant,” said Communist Party Party (BJP) already announced to of India (CPI) leader Narsing Rao. continue its alliance with the Asom The Left leader said the steel Gana Parishad (AGP) and to forge plant was the reason for a coalition with new ally United Visakhapatnam to develop so well People's Party Liberal (UPPL) after and complained that a profitable discarding present ally Bodo Peoples' steel plant has been pushed into Front (BPF). A file picture of Assam Jatiya Parishad leader Akhil Gogoi. losses. Visakhapatnam Steel Plant employees take part in a massive bike rally to protest against the move to privatise the Meanwhile, the main opposition Rao said that the city has the steel plant, in Visakhapatnam, Friday. PTI PHOTO Congress also formed a a three-hour-long meeting Thursday Bodoland Territorial Council polls history of salvaging the Dredging "Mahagathbandhan" (grand al- with the jailed leader Akhil Gogoi, in early December last year, the Corporation of India Limited (DCI) of this state or dole them out to the This is the worst decision Visakhapatnam," said Veerraju, liance) with three Left parties -- also the supremo of Raijor Dal. BJP dumped the BPF and an- by fighting with the Central gov- people the Centre likes but we will taken by Modi assuring about the steel plant located the CPI-M, the CPI, the CPI-MLL - Gogoi, who was jailed immedi- nounced to support its new allies ernment. retaliate,” Murthy added. government. Making a in the port city, which the Central - as well as the All India United ately after he led the agitations the UPPL and Gana Suraksha If the need arises, he threatened Not only the steel plant employ- 100 per cent strategic sale government has decided to priva- Democratic Front (AIUDF) and the against the CAA in December Parishad (GSP) to take that agitators would stall the state ees, he added, people in Andhra of the steel plant is wicked. tize. Veerraju said he agrees with Anchalik Gana Morcha, regional 2019, is currently undergo- Only power in the politically to save the steel plant from pri- Pradesh would repeal the move to Andhra Pradesh developed the locals' contention against pri- parties having a political base ing treatment for his var- Bangladesh can significant au- vatisation. sell the steel plant. because of Visakhapatnam vatizing Vizag Steel Plant. among the Muslims and indige- ious ailments at the help the Congress tonomous body. Rao alleged that Prime Minister He advised Chief Minister YS Steel Plant "In the current atmosphere, AP nous people respectively. Gauhati Medical get a tsunami of votes After announc- Narendra Modi wants to sell all Jagan Mohan Reddy to mount a BJP completely agrees with it. In the latest development, College and Hospital. ing their alliance, the government companies and re- united front, taking all the political NARSING RAO I Yesterday, Madhav met Nirmala in the upcoming COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA LEADER Thursday, two major regional par- Gogoi also said Assembly elections Congress leaders, called that this steel plant was ob- parties into confidence to salvage Sitharaman and tomorrow external ties -- the Assam Jatiya Parishad Thursday said that his including state tained after a major struggle. the steel plant. affairs minister is coming, GVL HIMANTA BISWA SARMA I (AJP) and the Raijor Dal (RD) -- an- CPI leader JV Satyanarayana party is in touch with ASSAM MINISTER unit President Meanwhile, an employee of the (Narasimha Rao) is hereOn Feb 14 nounced they would fight the en- the BPF and Autonomous Ripun Bora, had Murthy said people of steel plant advised that all the MPs Telugu Desam Party chief N we are going to attend a meeting in suing polls together, leaving the State Demand Committee claimed that "a Visakhapatnam need not be taught of the state should resign if nec- Chandrababu Naidu. Delhi, then we will meet the pres- other two combinations wary. Both from Karbi Anglong, both have sub- tsunami of votes" how to fight, reminding that the essary to save the steel plant. Meanwhile, in a deviation of ident (party) and convey the the AJP and the RD are offshoots stantial base among the indigenous would be cast in favour of the steel plant itself was procured after He demanded that the Andhra stance within the ruling Bharatiya thoughts on the steel plant," said of the violent agitations against people in central-western Assam. "Mahagathbandhan". a big movement. Pradesh Chief Minister depute Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre Veerraju. the Citizenship (Amendment) Act "Our regional party alliance However, BJP leader and Assam “Though Union Finance Minister his MPs to Delhi to fight and save and its Andhra Pradesh wing, He reminded that the steel plant (CAA) in 2019. would field candidates in all the Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Nirmala Sitharaman came as a the plant and highlighted that an party state president Somu came to Visakhapatnam after a Former All Assam Students' 126 seats," he said. The AJP and had retorted that "only Bangladesh daughter-in-law to Andhra Pradesh, action plan is being worked out to Veerraju said AP BJP leaders will massive movement some decades Union (AASU) leader Lurinjyoti RD leaders have so far rejected of- can help the Congress get a tsunami she has now thrown chilli powder fight under the leadership of Nara definitely fight for Visakhapatnam ago when he was a school boy and Gogoi, who recently floated the fers to join the Congress-led grand of votes in the upcoming Assembly into her mother-in-law’s eyes. She Lokesh, the son of former Andhra steel plant on Friday. invoked Amruta Rao's name, a Dalit AJP, announced the alliance, after alliance. After the outcome of the elections". is attempting to plunder the riches Pradesh Chief Minister and "We will definitely fight for MLA who fought for it. Andhra SEC annuls TDP PM Modi to inaugurate slew of 32 in soup for scholarship manifesto for rural polls fund misappropriation The SEC ordered the party to withdraw the copies of its projects in poll-bound Assam manifesto as it defeats the very purpose and objective of PRESS TRUST OF INDIA headmasters, two electronic data AGENCIES processors, two assistant teachers, apolitical nature of gram panchayat elections Guwahati, Feb 5: Assam Police two presidents of school manage- Guwahati, Feb 5: Assam Chief Thursday submitted a chargesheet ment committees, eight owners of Minister Sarbananda Sonowal against 32 accused in the misap- customer service points of banks Thursday visited Dhekiajuli in propriation of government fund and 14 middlemen. Sonitpur district to review the for pre-matric scholarship for mi- The CID during investigation arrangements being made for Prime nority community students. seized 65 objects including 14 lap- Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled The CID submitted the 7836-page tops, 13 mobile phones, two hard visit on February 7. chargsheet in the court of Kamrup disks, one CPU, one DVR and a fin- The prime minister would cere- Metropolitan Chief Judicial ger print scanner along with doc- moniously launch the 'Assam Mala' Magistrate holding the accused re- uments from several districts of project for the upgradation of state sponsible under various sections the state. highways and also lay the founda- of the IPC and the Information Altogether 220 persons have been tion of two medical colleges of Technology Act, a police spokesper- named as prosecution witness in the Biswanath and Charaideo from the son said. chargesheet, while the statement same venue Sunday. The case diary is 1880 pages long. of ten witnesses have been recorded The chief minister reviewed the The Prime Minister budget announcements which al- The chargesheet has been sub- by the Judicial Magistrate. security arrangements and in- lotted Rs 34,000 crore for the con- mitted in 86 days since the date of The case was registered on the structed Director General of Police would ceremoniously struction of 1300 km of highways the first arrest made in the case, the basis of an FIR lodged August 28 last to have close surveillance along launch the 'Assam and district roads,Rs 300 crore for spokesperson said. year by the director of Assam with installations of CCTVs at the Mala' project for the infrastructure development of The accused, who are currently Minorities Development Board programme venue. Kamakhya temple and Rs 1097 crore in judicial custody, include four Mahmood Hassan. INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE ture of gram panchayat elections,” Sonowal assessed preparedness the upgradation of for construction of roads and em- said Kumar. of the helipad which is adjacent the state highways bankments for Majuli, Sonowal Amaravati, Feb 5: Andhra Pradesh Lella Appi Reddy, a leader of the to the meeting venue, an official said. State Election Commissioner (SEC) ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu release said. He also thanked the prime min- Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar has Congress Party (YSRCP), com- Sonowal also took stock of prepa- diapersons at the venue, said that ister for allocation of Rs 1000 crore annulled the Telugu Desam Party's plained to Kumar January 29 about rations made so that the large crowd people of Assam especially from for the welfare of tea communi- (TDP) Panchayat elections mani- the party-affiliated manifesto an- congregating at the venue do not ex- Sonitpur and its adjoining districts ties. festo, and ordered it to withdraw its nounced by TDP national presi- perience any hassle. are eagerly waiting for the prime The chief minister was accom- copies as it defeats the very purpose dent Nara Chandrababu Naidu. He also reviewed the traffic minister’s visit. panied by Industry and Commerce and objective of apolitical nature Incidentally, Kumar was not sat- arrangements and route lining for A series of special packages have minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, of gram panchayat elections. isfied with the explanation given by the Prime Ministers programme. been announced as a result of which Handloom and Textile minister “TDP Panchayati Ennikala the TDP leaders as to why it re- The chief minister also directed Assam is doing well not only in Ranjit Dutta, Panchayat and Rural Manifesto - 2021 is a suggestive leased a party manifesto banned in the district and health authorities India but in the larger landscape of Development minister Naba Kumar affiliation of political party in the rural local bodies elections. to ensure compliance of COVID- South East Asian nations. Doley, Chief Secretary Jishnu context of gram panchayat elec- The SEC invoked his plenary 19 safety protocols during the event. Modi's love for the state has also Baruah, DGP Bhaskar Jyoti tions held on non-party basis, powers, conferred upon him by the Sonowal, later while talking to me- been eloquently translated in the Mahanta and other senior officials. which is a clear violation of the Constitution of India under Article commission’s order dated October 243 K and Section 200 of AP 25, 2018 and it defeats the very Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 to annul the purpose and object of apolitical na- manifesto. Girl with Himalayan ambitions wants to prove a point

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE tough conditions. TIRUPATI SHRINE GETS Sameera, who lost her father in Hyderabad, Feb 5: A cyclist and 2015, started undertaking solo trav- mountaineer, she is out to prove to els with her savings. She cycled AN UNUSUAL OFFERING the world that girls are capable of across South Asian and South East doing anything without family sup- Asian countries. In India, she cycled PRESS TRUST OF INDIA The devotee has port. for over 1,000 km covering various requested the TTD to After losing mother when she states. Her trekking expedition Tirupati, Feb 5: An unusual of- was just nine and her father, a tai- started with Kashmir, Himachal fering of two tonnes of pickles was utilise pickles at the lor, few years ago, P. Sameera Khan Pradesh and Uttarakhand and later made by a devotee to the shrine of canteen where over a overcame all odds to come up in extended to Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala, life and is now looking for spon- Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. near here, Friday, an official of the lakh meals were sors to fulfill her ambition of scal- She has already covered 550 km temple said. served daily to the ing Mount Everest, the highest peak high altitude trekking. After offering worship at the in the world. She has have not done any course temple, the devotee Kaaturi Ramu visiting devotees A solo traveller, she has already in mountaineering. "I was already from Chirravuru village in Guntur cycled her way to 20 countries. The cyclist. I cycled in 20 countries. I district of Andhra Pradesh handed over a lakh meals were served daily 30-year-old from Anantapur in think that boosted my confidence over the pickles to TTD (Tirumala to the visiting devotees. Andhra Pradesh has already scaled to become a high-altitude trekker," Tirupati Devasthanam) Board Meanwhile, a TTD press release four mountains, the highest being doing everything despite not having technical. Rather than doing just and was brought up by her father, said Sameera currently an entre- chairman YV Subba Reddy at the said the foundation stone would 6,858 meter high Ama Dablam in family support,” Sameera told IANS. for the sake of doing, I want to do a tailor. While pursuing medical preneur at Kepler Home Cinema temple-run pilgrims free meal can- be laid on February for the con- Nepal. “I want to tell the world that The backpacker’s Mt Everest ex- something which makes me feel I lab technology course after 10th in Hyderabad. Always ready to ac- teen, the official told PTI. struction of a replica of the tem- a girl in India needs lot of support pedition requires Rs 30-35 lakh. “I have done the whole thing beyond standard, the family finances forced cept new challenges, Sameera started

Different varieties of vegetable ple of Goddess Padmavathi to be from her parents. I am trying to have some money and I need spon- my ability,” she said. her to take up a job in BPO in high altitude mountaineering.

k y m c pickles, including mango, lemon, built by the TTD in Chennai. pursue my dream, earning for it, sorship. The kind of work I do should Sameera said she approached Bengaluru. "Mountaineering is very down thing. tomato, and gongura were packed The foundation stone would be spending for it, everything on my be getting lot of support,” she said. the government authorities for help During Srinagar floods of 2014, It's toughest of all sports. People in plastic canisters, the official laid by the seer of Kanchi Kamakota own but now I have come to a point She wants to scale Mt Everest from but they refused as they don’t con- she travelled to Kashmir as a vol- who are into mountaineering have said. Peetham Vijayendra Saraswati, where I need some financial support Tibet side and not Nepal, which she sider mountaineering as a sport. unteer. She went on a solo Pahalgam to be mentally and physically tough. Ramu requested the TTD to the release quoted the TTD Board to attain my ambition. I want to tell said is commercial and easy. “From Youngest among five siblings, valley trek for two days and soon she Only those people who are not afraid utilise pickles at the canteen where chairman as saying the world that girls are capable of Tibet side, it is tough and also very she lost her mother at the age of nine started learning how to survive in of death can survive," she said. P8 The government of WORLD RECORD SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 6 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR India claims these farm laws are in the interest of Authorities at Ratlam farmers but across the country district in Madhya Pradesh they are being opposed. On have set a world record by Delhi’s borders, farmers are administering oaths to more sitting for months and many than 52,000 people online in

y national have passed away the fight against drug

k y m SACHIN PILOT | CONGRESS LEADER addiction in the state c

of the day uote SC grants interim bail to comedian India’s aeronautics Obscene LS proceedings hit for content is Munawar Faruqui being served sector to double on OTT platforms. Young children are PRESS TRUST OF INDIA also getting affected due to Internet and 4th consecutive day New Delhi, Feb 5: In a relief to comedian Munawar Faruqui, ar- by 2024: Rajnath mobile phones PRESS TRUST OF INDIA rested in a case for allegedly hurt- SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN | MADHYA ing religious sentiments by pass- PRADESH CM New Delhi, Feb 5: Lok Sabha ing objectionable remarks about proceedings were a virtual washout Hindu deities during a show, the Friday as relentless protest by Supreme Court Friday released When Babar Opposition members against the him on an interim bail. came to India he chose to Centre's three farm laws The top court also stayed the destruct Ram continued for the fourth consecu- Madhya Pradesh High Court order temple in Ayodhya tive day, even as signs emerged of January 28, which had refused as he understood that normal functioning could to grant him bail noting that to "pro- that the living force resume from Monday. mote harmony" is one of the con- of the country rested there The government has always been stitutional duties. ready for discussion and we are It also stayed the production PRAKASH JAVADEKAR | UNION MINISTER hopeful that Lok Sabha will func- warrant issued against Faruqui by tion smoothly from Monday, a trial court in Allahabad in Uttar Parliamentary Affairs Minister raise slogans, Birla appealed to Pradesh in connection with the FIR The Union Pralhad Joshi said. On February 3, them to participate in the Question Tomar defends farm lodged in the state. A bench of INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE that India much achieve the targets government Locket Chatterjee of the BJP had Hour as an important issue related Justices R F Nariman and B R of domestic defence production of should think initiated the discussion on the to vaccination was being discussed. laws in Rajya Sabha Gavai said issued notice on two pe- Bangalore, Feb 5: The growth of $25 billion and exports of $5 billion of "positive steps" Motion of Thanks but she could not While Congress, DMK and Left titions filed by Faruqui seeking bail the country's aeronautics sector by 2025. like bringing in a Agriculture Minister Narendra Constitutional complete her speech due to dis- members were in the Well, mem- Singh Tomar Friday asserted that in a case lodged in Indore in will double from Rs 30,000 crore to He said that in the last five amendment to ruptions. She has not yet resumed bers from the TMC did not partic- the government's offer to amend Madhya Pradesh and clubbing Rs 60,000 crore by 2024, Defence years, defence exports grew from ensure the Maratha community in her speech. While demanding re- ipate in raising slogans. Trinamool the new farm laws to assuage and quashing of FIRs lodged for Minister Rajnath Singh said Friday. Rs 2,000 crore to Rs 9,000 crore Maharashtra gets reservations peal of the three laws, Opposition Congress members remained seated farmers' sentiments did not mean the same alleged offence in dif- Speaking at the valedictory func- and the majority of these exports parties are also insisting on a stand on their benches. Around 4.15 they had any flaws even as ferent States. tion of the 13th edition of AeroIndia has been spearheaded by the pri- ASHOK CHAVAN | CONGRESS LEADER alone debate on the farmers' issue. PM, Birla adjourned the House till opposition parties demanded here, Singh said the Indian aero- vate sector. The government has maintained 6 PM. With no letup in the protests fresh legislations with one Congress space industry, both military and While maintaining that a ro- that Opposition can raise the farm- when the House reconvened in the MP describing the acts as "death civil, stood uniquely poised on the bust domestic manufacturing base ers' issue during the debate on the evening, the Speaker adjourned warrants" for farmers. Putting up threshold of catapulting itself into relates directly to the potential SHORT TAKES Motion of Thanks. its proceedings till Monday after his a vigorous defence of the three the global arena. for defence exports, the minister On Friday, Lok Sabha was ad- plea to opposition members to go new agri laws in the Rajya Sabha At the ongoing AeroIndia 2021, said, "We plan to move from a $11 Elderly couple journed first till 6 pm after back to their seats went unheeded. in the face of a strident demand at least 128 MoUs and 19 transfers billion defence base to $25 billion Opposition members disrupted the The government Friday strongly de- for their repeal and continuing of technology were signed, and 32 by 2025. We further intend to found murdered proceedings demanding repeal of fended the farm laws in Rajya protests by farmers, Tomar also major announcements were made create an export component of the laws and shouted slogans from Sabha and said its offer to amend said none from the protesting The top court sought response along with 18 product launches. $5 billion. Greater Noida: An elderly unions or their sympathisers have couple was found murdered the Well of the House. As soon as them should not be viewed as if from Madhya Pradesh govern- Further, 45 MSMEs participating "We realise, appreciate and un- the House convened at 4 PM, mem- they had any flaws, even as the been able to point out any lacuna. ment on both the pleas filed by in AeroIndia have already bagged derstand that in a highly specialised at their residence in Greater Those opposing the farm laws are bers from the Congress, Left par- Opposition demanded that the leg- Faruqui and from Uttar Pradesh, orders worth Rs 203 crore. and technology driven environ- Noida Friday and the police not willing to say what is black in are suspecting the role of ties and the DMK rushed to the islations be repealed and fresh these 'black laws' as termed by Delhi and Maharashtra govern- "India has a great potential to ment, a collaborative, cooperative 'house guests' who had come Well raising slogans against the ones brought after consultations. them for the government try ments on the plea seeking clubbing emerge as a global and regional and collective approach to defence for a party on Thursday night. new agri laws and holding plac- The government also launched a rectify it, he added. and quashing of FIRs. “This being MRO (maintaince repairs and over- production and exports is the way The bodies of Suman Nath, ards. Speaker Om Birla continued fierce attack on the Congress and the case, we issue notice in both haul) hub given the cost competi- forward." President Ram Nath aged around 65, and her with the Question Hour with Health other Opposition parties for trying been camping at three Delhi bor- the petitions, and stay the tiveness of its manpower resources, Kovind, who was the chief guest at husband Narendra Nath, Minister Harsh Vardhan re- to instigate the farmers with wrong der points -- Singhu, Tikri and Judgment of the High Court. The the availability of abundant, spe- the closing ceremony of AeroIndia, aged around 70, were found sponding to supplementary ques- information. Thousands of farm- Ghazipur -- for over 70 days, de- petitioner is released on ad-in- cialist capabilities and geograph- said the event has exhibited that at their residence in Sector tions on COVID-19 vaccination. As ers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana manding a complete repeal of three terim bail on conditions to the ical advantages," he said. global confidence in India's capa- Alpha 2, a senior police Opposition members continued to and western Uttar Pradesh, have central farm laws. satisfaction of the trial court.” The Defence Minister also said bilities is growing steadily. officer said Friday.

Farmers in Bihar 4G mobile Internet service JOVIAL MOOD Maratha quota: SC to refuse to join stir hear pleas from March 8 Patna: Opposition parties' being restored in entire J&K leaders in Bihar have PRESS TRUST OF INDIA organised human chains, bile Internet services in the entire tractor rallies, Raj Bhavan The internet services were Union Territory. New Delhi, Feb 5: The Supreme march, dharnas and protests shut by the government "4G mobile Internet services Court on Friday said it would hear in support of the farmers' being restored in entire J&K," gov- from March 8 in a hybrid man- agitation at the Delhi on August 5, 2019 when ernment spokesman Rohit Kansal ner, a combination of physical borders, but have failed to the special status of the said in a tweet. and virtual hearings, the pleas enthuse the farmers here to At present, 4G mobile services pertaining to the 2018 Maharashtra join the stir. They are still erstwhile state was are available in only two districts law granting reservation to maintaining a distance from of J&K -- Udhampur in the Jammu Marathas in education and jobs. the protests. revoked in Parliament division and Ganderbal in the A five-judge constitution bench and it was bifurcated Kashmir division. headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan into union territories All other 18 districts of the union said if physical hearing would re- Three killed in J&K & Ladakh territory have only 2G mobile sume in the apex court then the par- road mishap Internet services. ties can make arguments physically Mobile telephony and Internet and if anyone wants to argue vir- Jalaun (UP): Three people services were suspended on August tually, he can do that. were killed and two others 5, 2019 when Article 370 was abro- “Be that as it may, the hearing injured when a car hit a gated and the state bifurcated and in these matters will start from tractor on Auraiya road here, downgraded to a Union Territory. March 8, 2021 by physical or vir- police said Friday. Mahendra While mobile telephony was re- tual mode,” the bench said in its Kumar (35), who was driving stored after five months, restric- order. the tractor, died on the spot tions on Internet services have The top court is presently hear- while car driver Vivek Kumar AGENCIES since continued. ing matters through video-con- Dohre (30) and his friend There has been growing demand ferencing since March last year Mukesh (32) succumbed to Jammu, Feb 5: The Jammu and from businesses, students and pro- amid the COVID-19 pandemic and injuries during treatment, SHO, City Police Station Anil Kashmir government on Friday fessionals for the restoration of 4G it is likely to resume physical hear- Kumar said. The condition of announced restoration of 4G mo- mobile Internet services. Visitors at the display area during the last day of Aero India 2021 at Yelahanka air base in Bangalore UNI PHOTO ing in a hybrid manner soon. the injured is stated to be critical, he said.

80-yr-old Centre to give another chance to UPSC 64 people from Pak receive woman raped Indian citizenship certificates Mahoba (UP): An 80-year-old aspirants who exhausted their last attempt woman was allegedly raped INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE in a village in Kharela area PRESS TRUST OF INDIA grant an extra chance to civil serv- here, police said Friday. The ices aspirants who could not ap- Indore, Feb 5: Sixty four people incident took place February New Delhi, Feb 5: The Centre told pear or prepare well for their last belonging to the Sindhi com- 2 when the woman was alone the Supreme Court on Friday that munity of Pakistan and resid- in the house as her family attempt in the UPSC civil service members were out attending it is agreeable to give UPSC aspi- exam in 2020 due to the pandemic, ing in Indore have finally a religious function, SHO, rants, who exhausted their last at- while reiterating that it would received Indian citizenship cer- Kharela, Anil Kumar said. A tempt for the civil services exami- amount to extending “differential tificates. complaint was lodged by the nation in October 2020 amid the treatment” to similarly placed can- Pardeep Lajomal Talreja, one victim's grandson who Covid-19 pandemic but are not age- didates. of the persons who received the alleged that two people barred, another shot at clearing However, Solicitor General citizenship certificate and liv- entered the house from the the test in 2021. Representative image Tushar Mehta had on February 1 ing in Indore, said that with the terrace and one of them “Relaxation, only to the extent sought time to discuss the issue help of Bharatiya Janata Party He said he is happy to be in identified as Phoolchandra of providing one extra attempt for or to any other candidate for any ing ex-gratia, one-time, restricted once again. The Centre had fur- MP Shankar Lalwani and the India. He thanked the alias Phullu raped the woman, Civil Service Examination (CSE), other reason whatsoever. relaxation to be granted to the nished a chart in the apex court district administration, not only Government of India and the Kumar said. specifically limited to CSE-2021, “This relaxation for the candi- prospective candidates, subject to giving details of relaxation given by he but also his wife Lata Kumari district administration for their may be granted to only those can- dates and to the extent as prescribed the same being part of a consent Union Public Service Commission Talreja and Narayandas Lajomal support. Meanwhile, the Central didates who appeared for CSE-2020 above, shall be a one-time relax- order, disposing off the petition,” (UPSC) in civil services exams since Talreja have received their Indian government has informed the Leopard shot dead as their last permissible attempt ation only and shall apply only for the note, filed by Additional Solicitor its inception and had said that in citizenship certificates. Rajya Sabha about the number and are otherwise not age-barred appearing in CSE-2021 and shall General S V Raju, said. The bench 1979, 1992 and 2015 relaxations were Talreja said he used to live of Indian citizens jailed in foreign Pithoragarh: A leopard, which from appearing in CSE-2021,” the not be treated as a precedent,” it told told Raju to circulate the note and given to the candidates due to change in the Sindh province of countries for various criminal had killed three women in Centre told a bench headed by the bench, also comprising Justice asked the petitioners to file their re- in patterns of examination. Pakistan. After being a victim offences. Uttarakhand's Devalthal area, Justice A M Khanwilkar. Dinesh Maheshwari. sponses to it. The bench had observed that of atrocities on minority com- Minister of State for External has been shot dead by a In a note filed in the apex court, The Centre said that the relax- The top court said it would hear one-time relaxation would benefit munities in Pakistan, he along Affairs V. Muraleedharan, in re- y professional hunter hired by the Centre said that no relaxation ation “shall not create any vested the matter on February 8. The bench over 3,300 students without even with his family moved to India sponse to an unstarred question the forest department, an

shall be granted for CSE-2021 to right whatsoever or any other pur- is hearing a plea seeking grant of increasing the age-limit. from Pakistan about 13 years asked in the Upper House, said

k y m official said Friday. The c seven-year-old leopard was those candidates who have not ex- ported right on ground of parity or one more chance in the UPSC's civil The top court on September 30 last ago in 2008. After coming to a total of 7,139 Indian citizens killed by Nainital-based hausted their permissible number otherwise, in favour of any other services exam to those aspirants year had refused to postpone the India, he was regarded as a are lodged in foreign jails. The gov- hunter Harish Dhami on of attempts or to those who are oth- set/class of candidates at any time who could not appear in their last UPSC civil services preliminary refugee by the Central govern- ernment is providing them with Thursday night, Divisional erwise age-barred from appearing in the future.” “As per the sugges- attempt in 2020 due to the pandemic. exam because of the COVID-19 pan- ment and since then he has been legal options and other assis- Forest Officer, Pithoragarh, in CSE-2021 as per the prescribed tion of this court, the Union of On February 1, the Centre had demic and floods in several parts of residing in Indore. tance through its embassies. Vinay Bhargava, said here. age limits of different categories, India is agreeable for the follow- told the top court that it cannot the country. The Lonar lake CHILLING, DRY P9 is very popular SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 6 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR with scientists who visit WEATHER IN SRINAGAR in large numbers. For the second consecutive day Arrangements should be Friday the minimum temperature made to attract all kinds remained above the freezing of tourists point in Srinagar city as the y UDDHAV THACKERAY | weather office forecast dry

national MAHARASHTRA CHIEF MINISTER

k y m weather for the next seven days c

of the day uote Pfizer withdraws COVID-19 VACCINATION DRIVE Farmers do not know about Twitter. ‘3rd phase to cover those above 50’ This Twitter politics application for PRESS TRUST OF INDIA has started recently age and those under 50 with co- ical trial stage. Two vaccines are in and everyone is morbidities will be vaccinated," phase 1 and 2 clinical trial stages and doing it. What do New Delhi, Feb 5: The third phase Vardhan said. the remaining two are in advanced the farmers know about Greta of vaccination against the coron- The vaccination drive began on pre-clinical stage. He said India has Thunberg or Rihanna? nCoV vax in India avirus is likely to commence in January 16, starting with healthcare received requests for vaccines from March and will cover 27 crore peo- workers and then the frontline 22 countries. These countries in- SHIVANAND TIWARI | RJD LEADER ple aged 50 years and above and workers, both estimated to be around clude Afghanistan, Algeria, those with co-morbidities, Health three crore. "After the completion Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Egypt, Ram Temple Minister Harsh Vardhan said in of first and second phases, the third Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritius, fund Lok Sabha on Friday. phase could be launched from any Morocco, Mongolia, Myanmar, collection by Replying to questions on vac- week next month," Vardhan said. assured that it could be increased if Nepal, Nicaragua, Oman, Saudi @NSUI underscores cines and the vaccination drive He added that the third phase required. He said two vaccines -- Arabia, Seychelles, South Africa once again need for against the coronavirus during the will cover people above the age of 50. Covishield, manufactured by the and the UAE. There is also request a candid and Question Hour, Vardhan said nearly "It is not possible to give an exact date, Serum Institute, and indigenously from the Pacific Island countries, conceptual five million people have been in- but we estimate that this process developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech he said. Vaccines have already discussion within @INCIndia on oculated in the country so far. He can start in the second, third or the -- have been approved for emergency been given to 15 countries through host of core ideological issues added that the vaccination drive fourth week of March," he said. use authorisation. grant assistance and contracted MANISH TEWARI | CONGRESS LEADER for frontline workers has begun Vardhan said the finance minister Besides these, work is in progress doses. He said 56 lakh doses have this week. "In coming days, 27 crore has allocated Rs 35,000 crore for vac- on seven vaccines. Of the seven, been sent through grants and five AGENCIES available for use by the people who are of above 50 years of cination in the budget and she has three vaccines are in phase 3 clin- lakh doses through contract. Some of our Government in India and to pur- nationalists New Delhi, Feb 5: Pharma major suing the requisite pathway for pleaded in the Pfizer on Friday said it has decided emergency use authorisation that US that ‘Abki baar, to withdraw its application for enables the availability of this FOR A CAUSE WHATSAPP’S NEW Trump ki sarkar’. Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) vaccine for any future deploy- PRIVACY POLICY What did it mean? of its COVID-19 vaccine in India. ment," the spokesperson said. When we protested Pfizer was the first pharma- Pfizer in its application submit- in chorus against the brutality on ceutical firm to seek an emergency ted to the drug regulator in December George Floyd, nobody questioned use authorisation from the Drugs 2020, had sought permission to im- SC refuses to ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY | CONGRESS MP Controller General of India (DCGI) port the vaccine for sale and dis- for its COVID-19 vaccine in the tribution in India, besides waiver of entertain plea country, after it secured such clear- clinical trials on Indian population SHORT TAKES ance in the UK and Bahrain. in accordance with the special pro- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA "In pursuance of the Emergency visions under the New Drugs and Use Authorisation of its COVID-19 Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, official New Delhi, Feb 5: The Supreme Patole appointed vaccine, Pfizer participated in the sources had said. Court Friday refused to entertain Maha Cong chief Subject Expert Committee meeting Nearly 50 lakh beneficiaries a plea which had sought a direction of the Drug Regulatory Authority vaccinated: to instant messaging platform New Delhi/Mumbai: The of India on February 3. Nearly 50 lakh beneficiaries have WhatsApp to roll back its new pri- Congress Friday appointed Based on the deliberations at the been inoculated under the coun- vacy policy on grounds that it is al- Nana Patole as the party's meeting and our understanding of trywide COVID-19 vaccination ex- legedly violative of laws and can Maharashtra state additional information that the ercise, while India's total active impact the country's security. committee president, regulator may need, the company cases have dropped to 1.51 lakh, A bench headed by Chief Justice replacing Balasaheb Thorat. has decided to withdraw its appli- the Union Health Ministry said on S A Bobde observed that this issue Patole, 57, a four-time MLA cation at this time," a company Friday. India's total active cases is already being heard by the Delhi currently representing spokesperson said in a statement. continues to follow a consistent High Court and the petitioner can Sakoli seat in Bhandara Pfizer will continue to engage downward slide consisting of just choose the suitable remedy. district of the state, had 1.40 per cent of total infections. The bench, also comprising resigned as Speaker of with the authority and resubmit Maharashtra Assembly on its approval request with addi- Following a downward trajectory, justices A S Bopanna and V Thursday. A former BJP MP tional information as it becomes 12,408 daily new cases were recorded Ramasubramanian, was hearing from the Bhandara-Gondiya available in the near future, the in a span of 24 hours. India's cases a plea filed by the Confederation constituency in statement said. "Pfizer remains per million population (7,828) are of All India Traders which had Maharashtra, he switched committed to making its vaccine amongst the lowest in the world. Para-teachers stage a protest over pay scale and other issues in Kolkata PTI PHOTO sought a direction to the Centre to over to the Congress in intervene in the matter and frame January 2018. Patole said his guidelines to govern large tech- aim is to restore the numero nology-based companies such as uno position of the Congress WhatsApp Inc., Facebook Inc. And party in the state. ISRAELI FIRM TO HARD Indo-US combat drill to Facebook India Online Services kick off in Rajasthan Private Limited. Govt docs go on SELL DRONES IN INDIA strike in Kerala The drill comes nearly two-and-a-half months after Overground JeM INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE Kochi: A section of India carried out the Malabar naval exercise with government medical college worker arrested doctors in Kerala on Friday Bangalore, Feb 5: Israeli defence the US, Japan and Australia, which are the member staged a relay hunger strike and homeland security solutions PRESS TRUST OF INDIA demanding the state firm, Spear UAV forayed into India nations of the Quad or Quadrilateral coalition government to rectify to hard sell its micro-tactical un- Srinagar, Feb 5: A most-wanted anomalies in the pay manned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or PRESS TRUST OF INDIA overground worker of the Jaish- revision of the college drones for meeting the needs of de- e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist out- lecturers. Led by the Kerala fence and paramilitary sectors, an New Delhi, Feb 5: Troops from fit was arrested Friday at the Indira Government Medical official said Friday. the Indian and the US armies will Gandhi International Airport in College Teachers Spear has signed an agreement carry out war-fighting drills in New Delhi after his deportation Association (KGMCTA) and with Paras Aerospace, a subsidiary a combined operational envi- from Qatar, police said here. the Kerala Government of the city-based Paras Defence and ronment and exchange expert- Muneeb Ahmad Sofi, a resident Postgraduate Medical Space Technologies Ltd, to market its ise on conventional, unconven- of the Bijbehara area in south Teachers Association drones (Ninox- 40) for use by military tional and hybrid threats at a Kashmir's Anantnag district, was (KGPMTA), the doctors forces, paramilitary, internal security Representative image two-week exercise in Rajasthan arrested by a police team from staged the one-day relay and law enforcing agencies. beginning Monday. Kulgam district, the police said hunger strike. "The Indian defence sector faces capsulated drone and control unit," the needs of special forces, defence The 'Yudh Abhyas' exercise is fundamental war-fighting skills on Twitter. Sofi was a militant as- many challenges in surveillance Spear and Paras said in a joint services and national disaster re- taking place at a time both the to enhance combined operational sociate or overground worker of its borders, in jungles and wooded statement issued here. sponse team by providing their countries have renewed their re- capacity. (OGW) for Pakistani militant 11 cybercriminals areas as well as in dealing with Weighing under 250 grams, the warriors an Istar capability to com- solve to further expand strategic The Indo-US defence ties have Waleed Bhai who was killed in held in J’khand natural forces, including monsoon lightweight Ninox-40 can be fitted plete their mission and save lives. and defence cooperation to ef- been on an upswing in the last an encounter with security forces storms, cyclones and earthquakes," into a soldier's vest and carried on- As a technology provider, Paras fectively deal with common chal- few years. In June 2016, the US in Kulgam last year. Deoghar (Jharkhand): said Spear chief executive Yishai person during combat. caters to state-run Defence Research lenges including China's ag- had designated India a "Major "Today a police party from Eleven people allegedly Amir on the margins of the 13th bi- "Our drone (Ninox-40) has a flight and Development Organisation gressive military posturing in Defence Partner". Kulgam has arrested a most wanted involved in phishing ennial Aero India 2021 expo at the capacity of up to 40 minutes, ex- (DRDO), defence public sector units the Indo-Pacific region. The US The two countries have also terrorist associate, namely Muneeb activities have been Yelahanka air force base on the tensive Istar (intelligence, sur- and private firms across the coun- Embassy said around 250 sol- inked key defence and security Ahmad Sofi...Linked with pro- arrested in Jharkhand's city's outskirts. veillance, target acquisition and try and to firms in other Asian and diers from each side will par- pacts over the past few years, in- scribed terror outfit JeM from Deoghar and Jamtara The four-year-old Tel Aviv-based reconnaissance) capabilities, day Gulf countries. ticipate in the exercise from cluding the Logistics Exchange Indira Gandhi International districts, police said Friday. Spear has domain expertise in and night camera for enhanced sit- "We are collaborating to enhance February 8-21 at Mahajan field fir- Memorandum of Agreement Airport New Delhi after his de- Twenty-one mobile phones, drones, aerospace, Artificial uational awareness and automatic the military preparedness of our spe- ing range in Rajasthan. (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows portation from Qatar,” a police 32 SIM and 15 ATM cards, Intelligence (AI), software and com- tracking," said the statement. cial forces with Ninox-40 and lever- The embassy said a field train- their militaries use each other's spokesman said. He said Sofi was ten passbooks of various munications. The drone can be launched on the age Spear's technologies to deepen ing exercise will involve com- bases for repair and replenish- involved in a case registered under banks and a chequebook "Designed for single-user oper- move, from under cover and in its use in India," said Paras pany-strength elements from ment of supplies as well as pro- the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) were seized from their ation, Ninox 40 is a micro-tactical, harsh environmental conditions. Managing Director Munjal Shah each nation exercising combined, vides for deeper cooperation. Act regarding collection of funds possession, they said. cost-effective UAV, featuring an en- The partners will jointly address on the occasion. for the terror outfit JeM. Acting on a tip-off, a team of police personnel apprehended ten people from Deoghar district and one from Jamtara Thursday, Deoghar ISRO’s 1st mission of 2021: A milestone for Brazil, India Superintendent of Police Ashwini Kumar Sinha said. THE SATELLITES ARE SLATED TO BE LAUNCHED ONBOARD THE POLAR SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE (PSLV) C-51 AT 10:24 AM FROM Himachal Budget THE SRIHARIKOTA SPACEPORT, OVER 100 KMS FROM CHENNAI session from Feb 26 PRESS TRUST OF INDIA confirmed the PSLV-C51 schedule of the countrys first commercial it plans to build a constellation of to PTI Friday. Amazonia-1, report- private remote-sensing satellite 30 satellites by 2023. The company Shimla: The budget session Bangalore, Feb 5: In its first mis- edly the first earth observation (Anand) on an ISRO PSLV rocket", inaugurated it's new facility here last of the Himachal Pradesh sion in 2021, India's space agency satellite entirely developed by Brazil, an ISRO official said. month. assembly will begin on ISRO planned to launch February 28 is the primary payload. Sivan had earlier described the up- According to Space Kidz India, February 26 with Governor Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1 and 'Anand', 'Satish Dhawan' satel- coming mission as "special for us, spe- Satish Dhawan satellite (SD SAT), Bandaru Dattatreya's three Indian payloads, including lite and 'UNITYsat' will be the co-pas- cial for the entire country" and be- named after former ISRO chair- address, an official said here Friday. The session will have one built by a home-grown start-up. sengers. 'Anand' is built by Indian ginning of a "new era of space man Satish Dhawan, aimed to study

17 sittings and will conclude The satellites are slated to be space startup, Pixxel, and 'Satish (sector) reforms". Pixxel CEO, Awais space radiation and Magnetosphere y March 20 with no break. launched onboard the Polar Satellite Dhawan Satellite' by Chennai-based Ahmed had said: "We are elated with and demonstrate the indigenously

Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C-51 at 10.24 Space Kidz India. the fact that Indias first commer- designed and developed nanosatel-

k y m Chief Minister Jai Ram c Thakur, who also holds the am from the Sriharikota spaceport, UNITYsat is a combination of cial private satellite will now launch lite components. "The satellite also Finance portfolio, will over 100 kms from Chennai. three satellites designed and built on an Indian rocket.This is not only tests the capabilities of LoRa tech- present the budget for 2021- Secretary in the Department of as a joint development by Jeppiaar Representative image a proud moment for us as an or- nology in Space which could be 22 on March 6, Vidhan Space and Chairman of Bengaluru- Institute of Technology, ganisation but also as citizens to helpful for many applications in Sabha Secretary Yash Paul headquartered ISRO (Indian Space Sriperumpudur (JITsat), G. H. Nagpur (GHRCEsat) and Sri Shakthi Technology, Coimbatore (Sri Shakthi work with our nations capabilities". the future in short and M2M com- Sharma told IANS. Research Organisation) K Sivan Raisoni College of Engineering, Institute of Engineering and Sat). "PSLV-C51 marks the launch Bengaluru-based Pixxel has said munication", it said. I am being detained RANA OPPOSES P10 for sedition, which SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 6 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR carries a maximum penalty EXTRADITION of life imprisonment. They Pakistani-origin Canadian don't like what I've been businessman Tahawwur talking about. They are Rana, a key accused in the afraid of what I'm saying 2008 Mumbai terror attack, has opposed his WIN HTEIN |

international EX-CABINET MINISTER, MYANMAR extradition to India

k y m c of the day uote Low point in ties Google Fit will allow you to America is back, says Biden measure your PRESS TRUST OF INDIA heart rate and Senate approves with Russia: EU respiratory rate using just your Washington, Feb 5: Asserting that phone's camera. America and its diplomacy are budget bill ASSOCIATED PRESS These features will be available in back, US President Joe Biden on The Senate early Friday took a the Google Fit app for Pixel phones Thursday said his administration key step toward fast-track Moscow, Feb 5: The European will repair the relationship with Union's top diplomat told Russia's SHWETAK PATEL | DIRECTOR OF HEALTH passage of President Joe allies and engage with the world foreign minister Friday that the TECHNOLOGIES, GOOGLE HEALTH Biden's $1.9 trillion once again. coronavirus relief plan without treatment of Russian opposition We will repair our alliances and support from Republicans. leader Alexei Navalny represents Although engage with the world once again, Vice President Kamala Harris “a low point” in the relations be- Certainly, our relations previous not to meet yesterday's challenges, was in the chair to cast the tween Brussels and Moscow. are under a severe strain, studies have but today's and tomorrow's. tie-breaking vote, her first. EU foreign affairs chief Josep and the Navalny case is a American leadership must meet Democrats in the chamber Borrell met with Russian Foreign indicated that low point in our relations compression-only this new moment of advancing au- applauded after Harris Minister Sergey Lavrov several CPR delivered by thoritarianism, including the grow- announced the 51-50 vote at days after Navalny was ordered to JOSEP BORRELL I CHIEF, EU FOREIGN AFFAIRS bystanders may be ing ambitions of China to rival the around 5:30 am. The action serve nearly three years in prison, as effective as compressions and United States and the determination came after a gruelling all- a ruling that elicited international ventilation combined, this may not of Russia to damage and disrupt our night session, where senators outrage. cerns over Navalny's jailing and apply to cases with COVID-19 democracy, Biden said in his re- voted on amendments that “Certainly, our relations are the arrests of thousands of peo- marks to State Department em- could define the contours of under a severe strain, and the ple who demonstrated on his behalf. ARAZ RAWSHANI | PHYSICIAN the eventual COVID-19 aid bill. ployees. person with dignity. That is the In his maiden address to the em- Navalny case is a low point in our The EU official said he also The US, he said, must meet the grounding wire of our global power. ployees of the State Department, the relations,” Borrell said ahead of communicated the bloc's support new moment accelerating global That is our inexhaustible source president said he has come to the Biden said his administration his talks with Lavrov in Moscow. for Navalny's release and for challenges -- from the pandemic to of strength. That is America's abid- building to send a clear message to will work with partners to support Navalny, 44, an anti-corruption an investigation of the August the climate crisis to nuclear pro- ing advantage. the world America is back. America restoration of democracy and the investigator and Russian President poisoning. The Russian foreign Representation matters, especially liferation -- challenging the will Though many of these values is back. Diplomacy is back. rule of law, and impose conse- Vladimir Putin's most prominent minister, in turn, once again at the ballot box, only to be solved by nations work- have come under intense pressure You are the centre of all that I in- quences on those responsible. critic, was arrested last month accused European officials of re- and the ing together and in common. We can- in recent years, even pushed to the tend to do. You are the heart of it. Over the past two weeks, I have upon returning from Germany, fusing to share evidence of the inauguration of Kamala Harris as not do it alone, he said. brink in the last few weeks, the We are going to rebuild our alliances. spoken with the leaders of many of where he spent five months re- poisoning. The Kremlin has the first woman, and first woman of We must start with diplomacy American people are going to emerge We are going to re-engage with the our closest friends -- Canada, Mexico, covering from a nerve-agent poi- said it won't listen to Western colour, to serve as vice president of rooted in America's most cherished from this moment stronger, more de- world and take on the enormous the UK, Germany, France, NATO, soning that he blames on the criticism of Navalny's sen- the United States is a landmark democratic values defending free- termined and better equipped to challenge we face dealing with a Japan, South Korea, Australia -- to Kremlin. Russian authorities have tencing and police action against moment dom, championing opportunity, up- unite the world in fighting to de- pandemic, dealing with global warm- begin reforming the habits of co- rejected the accusation. his supporters. Navalny's Jan. holding universal rights, respecting fend democracy, because we have After the meeting, Borell said 17 arrest triggered massive HOLLY HOTCHNER | PRESIDENT AND CEO, OF ing and again, standing up for democ- operation and rebuilding the mus- THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM the rule of law and treating every fought for it ourselves, Biden said. racy and human rights, he said. cle of democratic alliances. he had relayed to Lavrov his con- protests across Russia. SHORT TAKES China takes aim at BACKING THE REGIME US admin delays US virus deaths implementation surpass 450K of H-1B visa rule Washington: Coronavirus BBC on TV licence deaths in the United States PRESS TRUST OF INDIA surpassed 450,000 on REUTERS criticised the Ofcom ruling as Thursday, and daily deaths “politicising the issue on a technical Washington, Feb 5: The Biden ad- remain stubbornly high at Shanghai, Feb 5: The BBC came point” and warned that China re- ministration has announced that more than 3,000 a day, under renewed fire from Chinese serves the right to make a “neces- it is delaying the H-1B policy of the despite falling infections and officials Friday in a diplomatic dis- sary response”. previous Trump administration on the arrival of multiple pute a day after Britain’s media Britain’s Daily Telegraph news- allocation of the popular foreign vaccines. Infectious disease regulator revoked the TV licence paper separately reported on work visas by continuing with specialists expect deaths to of Chinese state media outlet CGTN. Thursday that Britain had in the the lottery system until December start dropping soon, after Britain and China have ex- past year expelled three Chinese 31, 2021, to give the immigration new cases hit a peak right changed barbs for months over spies who were there on journalism agency more time to develop, test around the beginning of the China’s crackdown on dissent in the visas. RELATED COVERAGE and implement the modifications year. New COVID-19 deaths former British colony of Hong China opposes Britain's decision to to the registration system. could ebb as early as next Kong, concern over the security revoke CGTN license China’s state On January 7, the US Citizenship week, said the new director of Huawei technology, and the treat- media has ramped up attacks on the and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Centers for Disease ment of ethnic Uighur Muslims British public broadcaster in recent announced to do away with the Control and Prevention. in China’s Xinjiang region. weeks. traditional lottery system in de- On Thursday, Britain’s Ofcom “I highly suspect that the ciding the successful applicants for revoked the licence of CGTN, the BBC has been closely instigated the H-1B visas. US halts troops English-language sister channel by the intelligence agencies of The H-1B visa is a non-immi- cuts in Germany of state broadcaster CCTV, after the US and the UK. It has become grant visa that allows US compa- concluding that China’s ruling a bastion of the Western pub- Supporters of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli participate in a rally in support of the government in Kathmandu, nies to employ foreign workers Washington: President Joe Communist Party had ultimate ed- lic opinion war against China,” Nepal, Friday in specialty occupations that re- Biden has formally stopped itorial responsibility for the chan- Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the quire theoretical or technical ex- the planned withdrawal of US nel. Minutes later, China’s foreign Global Times, said on Twitter. pertise. The technology compa- troops from Germany that ministry accused the British nies depend on it to hire tens of was ordered last year by the Broadcasting Corp of pushing Barbs exchanged ‘INDIA ESSENTIAL TO TACKLE MYANMAR’ thousands of employees each year Trump administration but “fake news” in its COVID-19 re- from countries like India and had never actually begun. porting, demanding an apology ritain and China have exchanged PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Sources told PTI that India played China. Speaking at the State and saying that the broadcaster Bbarbs for months over China’s the role of an “important bridge”, Department on Thursday, had politicized the pandemic and crackdown on dissent in the former United Nations, Feb 5: India en- bringing together various views Biden said the troop pullout “rehashed theories about cover- British colony of Hong Kong gaged constructively and acted as and wanted to ensure an outcome would be halted until Defense ing up by China”. ADVERTISE- an important bridge during delib- which was balanced. It also wanted Secretary Lloyd Austin does a he two nations have also clashed MENT The BBC said its reporting erations over the UN Security a statement which was not “con- review of America's troops Tover the security of Huawei presence around the globe. is fair and unbiased. technology, and the treatment of Council's statement on the situation demnatory” in nature, but one On Friday, Chinese foreign min- ethnic Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang in Myanmar, ensuring it strongly which helped the process and not istry spokesman Wang Wenbin underlined the importance of the become counter-productive. democratic process and transition Sources pointed out that India en- Mexico arrests while not being condemnatory in gaged actively with all the parties, ex-governor nature, sources said. sued the press statement on the a role that has been appreciated The USCIS had said it would In a press statement, agreed by situation in Myanmar on Thursday, by the UK and others. prioritise wages to protect the eco- Mexico City: The arrest of a consensus, the 15-nation Council ex- three days after the military seized India's articulated positions on nomic interests of American work- former Mexican governor on pressed “deep concern” at the dec- power in the Southeast Asian na- the situation, stated publicly as ers, and better ensure that the charges that he ordered the laration of the state of emergency tion in a bloodless coup and de- well, have been taken on board in most highly skilled foreign work- torture of a journalist gave imposed in Myanmar by the mili- tained top political leaders. the press statement. ers benefit from the temporary hope to activists who believe tary on February 1 and the “arbi- The Council members called for In the first reaction after the employment programme. the case could reveal the ties trary detention” of members of the immediate release of all those coup, the Ministry of External In a statement on Thursday, the between powerful the Government, including State detained. India, into the second Affairs (MEA) had said in New USCIS said that it is delaying businessmen, politicians and organised crime and strike a Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and month of its tenure as non-perma- Delhi that India noted the devel- the rule's effective date until blow against Mexico's President Win Myint. nent Council member, engaged “very opments in Myanmar with “deep December 31, 2021. The Trump- notorious impunity. Mario The Council, the most powerful constructively” during delibera- concern” and has always been stead- era rule was scheduled to go Marín, who governed the organ of the world organisation, is- tions over the press statement. fast in its support to democracy. into effect on March 9. central state of Puebla from 2005 to 2011 for the Institutional Revolutionary Party, was arrested on Wednesday in Acapulco and transported to a jail in House impeachment managers ask Trump to testify Cancun. THE LETTER COMES Senate impeachment trial about president, at all times doing what American people. wrote, Two days ago, you filed an an- reserve any and all rights, includ- his conduct on January 6. The move he thought was in the best interests Trump's lawyers Bruce L Castor swer, in which you denied many ing the right to establish at trial Aussie convicted AFTER TRUMP’S was immediately described as a of the and David I Dchoen were quick to factual allegations set forth in the that your refusal to testify supports public relations stunt by his lawyers. decline the ask. We are in receipt of article of impeachment. You have a strong adverse inference regard- in currency scam LEGAL TEAM FILED In a letter, lead impeachment your latest public relations stunt, thus attempted to put critical facts ing your actions (and inaction) on New York: An Australian man AN ANSWER TO THE manager Jamie Raskin requested they wrote. As you know, there is no at issue notwithstanding the clear January 6, 2021, he said. pleaded guilty Thursday to Trump to provide testimony such thing as a negative inference and overwhelming evidence of your In a statement, Jason Miller, a securities fraud for cheating ARTICLE OF under oath, either before or in this unconstitutional proceed- constitutional offense. senior adviser to the former pres- investors of over USD 90 IMPEACHMENT, during the Senate impeach- ing, they said. In light of your disputing these ident, said Trump would not par- million by squandering ment trial, about his con- Your letter only confirms what is factual allegations, I write to in- ticipate. The president will not tes- money they spent on his DENYING duct on January 6. known to everyone you cannot prove vite you to provide testimony under tify in an unconstitutional cryptocurrency fund, The letter comes after your allegations against the 45th oath, either before or during the proceeding, he said. prosecutors said. Stefan He INCONTROVERTIBLE Trump's legal team filed president of the United Senate impeachment trial, con- Reacting to Miller's statement, Qin, 24, entered the plea to a FACTS ABOUT THE an answer to the Article States, who is now a pri- cerning your conduct on January Raskin said, Today, we offered single count of the fraud of Impeachment, deny- vate citizen, the letter 6, 2021. We would propose that you President Trump the opportunity charge in Manhattan federal PRESIDENT’S ing incontrovertible continued. The use of provide your testimony (of course to testify about the events of court. Authorities said the CONDUCT facts about the presi- our Constitution to including cross-examination) as January 6 and he refused to do so.

fraud occurred from 2017 to dent's conduct on and bring a purported im- early as Monday, February 8, 2021, Despite his lawyers' rhetoric, any

k y m c 2020 as Qin operated the PRESS TRUST OF INDIA leading up to peachment proceed- and not later than Thursday, official accused of inciting armed fund titled Virgil Sigma. January 6 and as- ing is much too se- February 11, 2021. We would be violence against the government “Stefan He Qin drained Washington, Feb 5: House im- serting that ...The rious to play these pleased to arrange such testimony of the United States should wel- almost all of the assets,” US peachment managers asked for- 45th president of the games, it said. at a mutually convenient time and come the chance to testify openly Attorney Audrey Strauss said mer US president Donald Trump on United States per- in a release. In his letter to place. and honestly -- that is, if the offi- Thursday to testify during thes formed admirably in his role as Trump, Raskin If you decline this invitation, we cial had a defence. P11 3 OFFERS RECEIVED FOR SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 6 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR The recovery signs are PMC BANK RESOLUTION getting stronger, and the Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das guidance provided by the Friday said three investors have central bank reflects its submitted their offers for reconstruction commitment towards of crisis-ridden Punjab and Maharashtra

business supporting growth Co-operative (PMC) Bank and evaluation

k y m UDAY SHANKAR | FICCI PRESIDENT for those are underway c of the day uote Centre identifies four RBI opens endless tap for govt clusters from Odisha FDI easing in defence There is a decline of for export promotion about 3.2 per production to cent in the amount of exports (rupees) to borrow from retail investors POST NEWS NETWORK during April-October 2020-21 in AGENCIES Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: As part of attract investments comparison to the same period in the Agriculture Export Policy 2019-20, which is attributed to the Mumbai, Feb 5: Reserve Bank I don't feel (AEP), the Centre has identified AGENCIES COVID-19 governor Shaktikanta Das Friday that it four clusters from across Odisha said there is no way the move to (allowing for export promotion. Clusters for New Delhi, Feb 5: Various projects SAJEEV KUMAR BALYAN | UNION ANIMAL allow small investors to directly marine products are identified are expected to come in the de- HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING retail enter government bonds market investors direct entry from districts of Jagatsinghpur, fence production as the govern- will starve banks of their deposits into the gilt market) Bhadrak, Balasore and a cluster ment has liberalised foreign direct --their cheapest source of funds -- for turmeric is selected from investment (FDI) norms in the sec- Our goal is to will in any manner saying the size of the pie is big cut into bank Kandhamal tor, a top official said Friday. The build the enough to be pooled. Several unique product-district FDI limit in the defence manufac- easiest US deposits. I think the RBI, tasked with managing a clusters have been identified for turing under automatic route has investing platform size of the pie is too whopping Rs 12 lakh crore of gov- export promotion, based on factors now been raised to 74 per cent from for Indian large to support investors...Our focus ernment borrowing next fiscal, in like existing production and export 49 per cent. following this seed its bid to widen the investor base for endowments, scalability of oper- "Our FDI regime is most liber- tion, enable consolidation and in- round is on accelerating product government bonds, has made a ations, size of the export market alised in the world. FDI in defence crease insurance penetration, lead- development to create a seamless major policy shift by deciding to have grown 11.3 per cent so far this OM (negotiated dealing system- / India’s share, and the potential production has been liberalised ing to more innovative and af- and cost-effective end-to-end US allow small investors direct entry year, the governor argued. order matching) secondary mar- for increase in exports. and I expect this to be a major fordable products for the investing experience into this market to help deepen the In effect RBI has opened a long, ket, among others, in the past. About 18 clusters from different game-changer in India and lots of end-consumer". financial markets in general and gilt endless tap for the government to He governor described it as a parts of the country have been investments coming into the de- Scaling up of insurance opera- VIRAM SHAH | CEO, CO-FOUNDER VESTED FINANCE market in particular. borrow from -- just as is done in major structural reform as the indentified for same purposes. fence production. We see a lot of tions will lead to significant em- “I don't feel that it (allowing re- the stock market now, with the only world over only very few countries The government introduced a projects coming in the sector," ployment of semi-skilled insur- tail investors direct entry into the difference is that this will be under have done it. “As far as I know, very comprehensive Agriculture Export Secretary in the Department for ance agents as well as sales force, We are gilt market) will in any manner cut direct the watch of RBI. few countries like the US and Brazil Policy with an aims to harness Promotion of Industry and Internal and the vibrant insurance sector will looking at new into bank deposits. I think the size Currently, RBI allows small in- allow this. In Asia, we are the first export potential of Indian agri- Trade (DPIIT) Guruprasad also support long-term investments areas of of the pie is too large to support,” vestors to buy gilts via the Gobid country to do it,” the governor said, culture, through suitable policy Mohapatra told reporters here. in infrastructure projects, which cooperation and governor Das told reporters dur- platform on BSE and NSE but this adding that it has been RBI's en- instruments, to make India a global Mohapatra also said the gov- have a long gestation period. exports to countries ing the customary post-policy presser. has not gained any traction. This deavour to make the G-secs market power in agriculture, and raise ernment has proposed hiking FDI "The proposed increase will bring which Rolls-Royce The move makes India the first is the second major step that RBI accessible to retail investors. farmers’ income. The AEP has cap in the insurance sector in the the insurance sector at par with the and HAL together Asian country to allow directly is taking to encourage retail in- “We have this aggregator model been introduced to diversify our Budget. The increase in FDI limit private banking sector, where FDI contribute to in aerospace entry of small investors in govern- vestors to enter the gilt market. through stock exchanges and other export basket, destinations and from 49 per cent to 74 per cent in in- up to 74 per cent is allowed. Higher application ment debt market, while the US and Under the new plan, all an in- kinds of access. Now, we are giving boost high value and value added surance companies will have a pos- FDI limits will enable insurance R MADHAVAN | CMD, HAL Brazil allow indirect entry, Das said. vestor needs to do is to open a gilt a direct access to investors,” he agricultural exports, including itive impact on the Indian econ- companies to meet their capital As GDP grows and as the econ- securities account ('retail direct') said. Deputy governor BP Kanungo, focus on perishables. The gov- omy, he added. requirements, thereby reducing omy comes back to a higher growth with the RBI is all what it said, as said this is a very significant de- ernment also targets to promote It will enable global insurance the burden on banks, NBFCs to trajectory, total volume of savings details of the facility will be issued velopment as for so many years we novel, indigenous, organic, eth- companies to take more strategic raise capital for insurance com- SHORT TAKES and deposits naturally expands. separately. It can be noted RBI has have been trying to broad-base the nic, traditional and non-tradi- and long-term view on the sector panies," Mohapatra said. We feel that it will not undermine been encouraging retail partici- G-secs market. “With the ever tional agriculture products ex- in India, thereby bringing in a About promoting the growth of ICICI Lombard gets the flow of deposits to banks and mu- pation in G-secs for long with sev- growing size of government bor- ports through the policy. greater inflow of long-term capital, startups, the secretary said the de- tual funds. It is one more avenue eral initiatives like introduction rowing, it is absolutely necessary It was said that government global technology, processes, and in- partment is working on a credit nod for IFSC unit which is made available though a of non-competitive bidding in pri- that the investor base is broad- eyes to provide an institutional ternational best practices, guarantee fund scheme, which Mumbai: Private non-life firm much easier process, he noted. mary auctions, permitting stock ened,” he said. So far, retail in- mechanism for pursuing market Mohapatra noted. would provide comfort to banking ICICI Lombard on Friday said Moreover, even though small sav- exchanges to act as aggregators/fa- vestors were in a position to ac- access, tackling barriers and deal- The secretary said, "...The end and non-banking financial insti- it has received approval from ings rates offer much higher rates cilitators for retail investors and al- cess the NDS-OM through an ing with sanitary and phytosani- consumer will also be benefited tutions to lend to budding entre- international financial than bank deposits, bank deposits lowing odd-lot segment in the NDS- aggregation model. tary issues. from it as it will boost competi- preneurs. services centre (IFSC) to open an offshore insurance office in Gift City in Gandhinagar, making it the DPIIT PREPARES DRAFT CABINET NOTE DPIIT working on DRM-Khurda first private general insurer new e-commerce NBFCs to get funds to do so. The offshore unit visits JSPL Angul will enable ICICI Lombard to harness new opportunities in Expenditure finance panel policy: Govt official POST NEWS NETWORK direct insurance and under on tap TLTRO reinsurance areas by offering AGENCIES Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: Divisional offshore direct insurance AGENCIES Railway Manager of East Coast solutions, especially to okays PLI plan for LEDs, ACs New Delhi, Feb 5: The commerce Railway's Khurda Road Division domestic corporates and AGENCIES and industry ministry is "definitely" Mumbai, Feb 5: The Reserve Bank Sashi Kant Singh visited Jindal individuals located overseas, thus expanding its working on a new e-commerce pol- of India (RBI) on Friday proposed Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL)'s inte- international business, the New Delhi, Feb 5: The expendi- icy which will have various features to provide funds to non-banking fi- grated steel complex at Angul company said. "We are ture finance committee has ap- such as those related to data and nance companies (NBFCs) from to discuss mutual cooperation excited to set up an office in proved the proposal of the com- consumer rights, a senior govern- banks under the 'on tap' TLTRO and growth. the IFSC, making us the first merce and industry ministry for ment official said Friday. scheme for incremental lending to "JSPL steel plant is having a player in the private providing incentives to ACs and The other issues which need to some stressed sectors. plan for expansion and today's insurance sector to do so. LED lights under the PLI scheme, be looked upon while formulating In October last year, RBI had an- visit was to synergise the plan This will enable us to expand which aims at boosting domestic the policy are about the problem of nounced on tap targeted long term culture, agri-infrastructure, se- of JSPL with the ECoR so that our distribution reach and manufacturing in the country, ac- counterfeit products, packaging and repo operations (TLTRO) scheme for cured retail, MSMEs, drugs, phar- we can extend necessary sup- offer a range of risk cording to the DPIIT. rules of origin, the official of the banks. It had said the on tap TLTRO maceuticals and healthcare. port to JSPL in its plan to aug- management solutions to our In November, the Union Cabinet Department for Promotion of Industry will be conducted with tenors of The 26 stressed sectors identi- ment steel production and make customers based across the had approved Rs 6,238-crore out- and Internal Trade (DPIIT) said. up to three years for a total amount fied by the Kamath Committee in- the country proud," said Singh. world," ICICI Lombard MD & lay for these two sectors, air con- proposals would be approved by DPIIT is arm of the Union of up to Rs 1 lakh crore at a floating clude power, construction, roads He stressed on working together CEO Bhargav Dasgupta said. ditioners and LED lights, under the union cabinet and then notified. Ministry of Commerce and Industry. rate linked to the repo rate. The chemicals, gems and jewellery, ho- and long term planning to meet the production linked incentive "PLI is a game changer scheme. It "Who should be accountable for scheme is available till March 31, 2021. tels, restaurants, tourism and auto the growing traffic. "Our focus (PLI) scheme, which aims at mak- will promote global champions in counterfeit products sold through an "NBFCs are well recognised con- components, among others. is to work simultaneously inside M&M's PAT slips ing Indian manufacturers com- India," he told reporters here. e-commerce company. Data is an duits in reaching out to the last RBI said liquidity availed by JSPL plant as well as on railway petitive globally. The scheme will be launched on important issue. The entire data mile in various sectors, it is now pro- banks under the scheme is to be track so that there are no con- New Delhi: Homegrown farm Based on the recommendations April 1, and it will be open for ap- issue will be governed by what ac- posed to provide funds from banks deployed in corporate bonds, com- straints in movement of the raw equipment and utility of the committee, the Department plications for six months initially, tually the data law will be, which is under the TLTRO on tap scheme to mercial paper and non-convertible material and finished products vehicles major Mahindra & for Promotion of Industry and which could be extended, if re- before Parliament. That is why we NBFCs for incremental lending to debentures issued by entities in of JSPL," Singh added. Mahindra Ltd (M&M) on Friday reported a 6 per cent Internal Trade (DPIIT) has pre- quired. The scheme was launched are not in a hurry to finalise it (the the specified stressed sectors," RBI these sectors. The liquidity availed As per the discussion, repre- fall in its consolidated profit pared a draft cabinet note. for 13 sectors with an outlay of Rs policy)... So, whatever will be the Governor Shaktikanta Das said under the scheme can also be used sentatives of JSPL and East after tax from continuing and The scheme would extend an in- 1.97 lakh crore over the next five final outcome of that data bill, it during the monetary policy an- to extend bank loans and advances Coast Railway will meet every discontinued operations to centive of 4 per cent to 6 per cent years. The other sectors include will apply to everybody who will nouncement. to these sectors. month alternatively at Angul Rs 159.6 crore for the on incremental sales over the base telecom, textile products, food prod- deal with data," the official said a reg- In addition to the five sectors an- Investments made by banks under and Khurda to discuss the freight December 2020 quarter. The year 2019-20 of goods manufac- ucts and advanced chemistry cell ulator for the sector may come if nounced under the scheme on this facility can be classified as requirement and better coordi- company had posted a tured in India and covered under battery. required. October 21, 2020, 26 stressed sec- held to maturity (HTM) even above nation for mutual business consolidated profit after tax target segments, to eligible com- The final proposal of the PLI The official said that e-commerce tors identified by the Kamath the 25 per cent of total investment growth. from continuing and panies, subject to fulfilment of scheme for individual sectors would sector is not only about foreign di- Committee were also brought within permitted to be included in the Also, JSPL's MD VR Sharma discontinued operations of Rs threshold conditions of cumula- have to be approved by an em- rect investment (FDI) in the sector, the ambit of sectors eligible under HTM portfolio, it said. said that the effective support 170.69 crore in the tive incremental investment and powered finance committee and as a large number of e-commerce the on tap TLTRO on December 4, The central bank said all expo- from East Coast Railway will help corresponding period last sales of manufactured goods, for a Union Cabinet. The departments firms are outside FDI. "We are def- 2020, RBI said. sures under this facility are ex- JSPL, Angul to achieve its growth fiscal, M&M said in a period of five years. concerned would have to imple- initely working on the policy," the The initial five eligible sectors for empted from reckoning under the plan and contribute to regulatory filing. Its DPIIT Secretary said that all the ment the scheme. official said. deployment of funds were agri- large exposure framework (LEF). Atmanirbhar Bharat. consolidated revenue from operations during October- December 2020 stood at Rs 21,625.95 crore, against Rs 19,430.29 crore in the year- ` ago period, it added. Indian advertising industry to grow 10.8 pc at 62,577 cr

AGENCIES crore and it witnessed a de-growth sumer durables at 45 per cent, REIT issue closes of 17.5 per cent over 2019 due to GOOD DAYS AHEAD telecommunications at 40 per cent New Delhi: The initial public New Delhi, Feb 5: The Indian ad- the pandemic, it added. Currently, FMCG Digital media in and e-commerce at 39 per cent. offer of Brookfield India Real vertising industry is expected to Most of the sectors like manu- segment has the the country will Dentsu CEO India Anand Estate Investment Trust grow 10.8 per cent to reach Rs 62,577 facturing, trade, tourism, trans- highest grow at 20 per Bhadkamkar said, "2020 presented (REIT) got subscribed 8 times crore by the end of this year, mainly portation, real estate and automo- expenditure on cent to reach a a monumental challenge to us -- as on the final day of helped by a rapid growth in digi- bile were impacted during the initial advertising with market size of individuals, business and society. subscription Friday. It tal advertising, according to a re- phase of the lockdown in India. a contribution of Rs 18,938 crore It made us witness time and space received bids for 60,59,44,400 port. While the digital advertising in- 21 pc (Rs 11,554 by 2021 and in ways that many generations had units against 7,62,78,200 The advertising sector, which dustry had witnessed a 15.3 per cr), followed by with a CAGR of only read about in textbooks or units on offer. The category had witnessed a degrowth in 2020 cent growth in 2020 despite the pan- e-com with 17 22.47 per cent had heard of from ageing bystanders meant for institutional due to the pandemic, is expected to demic to Rs 15,782 crore from Rs pc (Rs 9,788 cr) to reach Rs of yester-history". investors was subscribed touch Rs 70,343 crore by 2022, as 13,683 crore by 2019, this space is ex- and consumer 23,673 crore by "... More than 50 per cent of our 4.80 times and those for per dentsu Digital Report 2021. pected to reach Rs 23,673 crore by durables with 10 2022, the revenue comes from digital at a other investors 11.78 times. "The advertising industry is ex- 2022. pc (Rs 5,751 Dentsu report time when the market average in Brookfield India hit the pected to make a comeback and "Digital media will grow at 20 crore) said India is still 10-12 per cent. We, at capital market with its REIT will grow by 10.8 per cent to reach per cent to reach a market size of dentsu, expect 2021 to witness a public issue on Wednesday to Rs 62,577 crore by the end of the year Rs 18,938 crore by 2021 and with a automotive and media and enter- colossal rise in digital advertis- raise up to Rs 3,800 crore.

2021. Furthermore, it is expected to CAGR of 22.47 per cent to reach in 2020, followed by spends on dig- (Rs 11,554 crore), followed by e-com- tainment segments spend a large ing.

k y m Brookfield India's REIT c mopped up Rs 1,710 crore grow with a CAGR (Compound Rs 23,673 crore by 2022," the report ital with 28 per cent (Rs 15,782 crore) merce with 17 per cent (Rs 9,788 share of their advertising budget "We also recognise the need for from anchor investors. The Annual Growth Rate) of 11.59 per said. and print with 25 per cent (Rs 13,970 crore) and consumer durables with on print," the report said. a business intelligence report that IPO had a price band of Rs cent to reach Rs 70,343 crore by In 2020, television media, which crore). 10 per cent (Rs 5,751 crore). The biggest spenders on digital can give directions toward which 274-275. Brookfield REIT will 2022," the report said. has a wide reach, remained the Currently, FMCG segment has the "FMCG spends a large majority media are Banking, Financial this industry is moving with ever- become third such trust to be The Indian advertising indus- largest contributor with 41 per cent highest expenditure on advertis- of its advertising budget on tele- Services and Insurance (BFSI) sec- changing client demands and mar- listed in the country. try currently stands at Rs 56,490 market share with Rs 23,201 crore ing with a contribution of 21 per cent vision (64 per cent) while retail, tor at 57 per cent followed by con- ket scenarios," he said. P12 SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 6 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR sports

ENGLISH SKIPPER HITS TON ON HIS 100TH TEST AS THE VISITORS DOMINATE OPENING DAY REACHING 263/3 ON A FLAT WICKET

y

k k y y m m c England deep-Root-ed c

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA Dom Sibley congratulates Chennai, Feb 5: Skipper Joe Root a smiling Joe Root after won the battle of attrition against the latter completes his Post Day 1 play reactions Indian spinners with a classy cen- century in Chennai JASPRIT BUMRAH purpose. You can’t make one side So if we can bat into whole of tury in his 100th Test as England heavy with sweat and it doesn’t tomorrow or maybe day three reached a comfortable 263 for three Helpless wicket for bowlers: The really work that way. But these then things could speed up quite at stumps on the opening day of ball did become soft after a while are the rules and we have to quickly for us and you never the first match here Friday. and the wicket is on flatter side make do with what we have know what can happen for that A modern-day great, Root (128 with the bounce being less. You at the moment. point onwards. batting, 197b, 14x4, 1x6) showed his are left with limited options (to mastery over slow bowlers during shine ball). We are trying to JOE ROOT On his knock: Playing the 100th his 20th hundred and third in figure out what we can do with Test was special and I mean as many Tests, becoming the the limited things on hand, at Ready for more: I am ready for coming in with some good form ninth player in the history of the that time. more tomorrow. Hopefully get and I need to make sure I cash in game to score a ton on his 100th back, a bit frustrating, very kind on. Over the course of my career appearance. Saliva ban: Yes, it becomes of Virat (Kohli) to help me out I've not always gone to make (with cramps), good He also admirably guided young difficult when the ball becomes really big scores, so for me to be soft and doesn’t shine really sportsmanship from him. It’s just going and doing that currently is opener Dom Sibley (87, 286b, 12x4), well because of new COVID-19 like a long day and then after a really pleasing. who showed commendable game rules, we can’t use saliva, very few overs I get some fluids and awareness and enormous dogged- difficult during that time to cooled down. OTHER COMMENTS ness during their 200-run partner- maintain the ball. ship for the third wicket before Surface talk: We have got to look MICHAEL VAUGHAN: Ridiculous Jasprit Bumrah (2/40) got him in the Sweat no help: In India, the ball and try and get as many as we decision by India not to play final over of the day. gets scuffed up easily. So to make can 600-700 if we can, really Kuldeep Yadav!!! If he isn’t Root’s innings was an exhibition the ball heavy, you have to shine trying to make most of the first going to play at home with the of how to construct an innings on one side sometimes, with sweat innings make it good and those injuries they have when is he a low, slow track while countering and it doesn’t really serve the four overs trying to work quickly. going to play!!! a hostile post-lunch spell from Ishant Sharma (0/27) where he got the ball to reverse swing. Root’s speciality, the sweep shot, AXAR INJURED was also brought out of the closet once Indian spinners started al- CHENNAI: Spin bowling all- tering the length. rounder Axar Patel was Friday There were full-blooded slog ruled out of the first Test against sweep in front of the square, con- have to pay the price for Washington pull shot when he dropped one short England batsmen got extra time to England after complaining of pain ventional sweep towards square, Sundar and Nadeem’s relative in- along with a late cut off Nadeem adjust their footwork against both in his left knee. Left-arm spinner the paddle sweep behind the square experience. were for the keeps. There were 14 spin and pace. Save the two dis- Shahbaz Nadeem, who found a and also switch-hit sweep where With no purchase from the track, boundaries in all and each one aes- missals in the first session, England place in the playing XI, from he changed the grip against Shahbaz it became easier for Root and Sibley thetically brilliant. controlled the game during the next Jharkhand and Rajasthan leg- Nadeem. to use their feet and big stride to dom- Nadeem and Sundar for most two sessions on a lifeless track, spinner Deepak Chahar have been And towards the end, first six of inate the two spinners, who looked part couldn’t hit the right length and which will certainly become diffi- included in the main squad from the match, was also a slog sweep off clueless. the abrasive surface of the track cult for batting as the game pro- the list of standby players. “Axar Patel has been ruled out of the Ashwin. This was after he had al- Unlike a lot of batsmen, who in meant that the Red SG Test ball, gresses. first Paytm Test against England. most lost five litres of fluid in sap- a pre-meditated fashion, come down which as per media reports was With India slated to bat fourth in The all-rounder complained of ping Chennai heat. the track, Root and Sibley waited for supposed to retain its hardness and the game, the first innings score pain in his left knee during Team Root and Sibley knew that they the Indian spinners to toss up the seam for a longer duration, got soft by both teams will go a long way in India's optional training session had to tire Ishant, Ravichandran ball before they took the plunge. and scuffed up by the 40th over. deciding the course of this game. Thursday,” BCCI secretary Jay Ashwin (1/56) and Bumrah out as An on-drive off Ashwin and a The softness meant that both The Chepauk track with its red Shah stated in a press release. Virat Kohli at some point would clay soil content usually offers good “He is being monitored by the Jasprit Bumrah (L) reacts after bounce on the first day which be- BCCI Medical Team and while his SCORECARD dismissing an English batsman comes variable as the cracks start detailed reports are awaited, he opening and spinners coming into will not be available for selection England 1st innings the play. for the opening match,” Shah Rory Burns c Pant b Ashwin 33, But this was one such track, further stated. Axar was picked as Dom Sibley lbw b Bumrah 87, which was devoid of any pace and a replacement for star all-rounder Dan Lawrence lbw b Bumrah 0, the edges were not even carrying half Ravindra Jadeja, who is Joe Root batting 128; the distance to first slip or keeper recovering from an injury and was SPORTSMANSHIP AT ITS BEST: Virat Kohli helps Root, who was struggling Extras: 15 (lb-4, nb-11); Rishabh Pant. Such was India's in line to make his Test debut. with a cramp late in the day in Chennai, Friday Total: 263/3 (89.3 overs). plight that Rohit Sharma got his Fall: 1/63 (Burns), 2/63 helmet and came up half way to Sibley in particular would shuf- the part of Burns that brought offer as early as first session (Lawrence), 3/263 (Sibley). Ishant’s deliveries which weren't fle towards off-stump to cover the line about his downfall. Burns tried a with Bumrah getting the shiny Bowling: Ishant Sharma 15-3-27- medium pace by any means. of the deliveries while waiting for non-existent reverse sweep which side to dart in, trapping Dan 0, Jasprit Bumrah 18.3-2-40-2, Ashwin was brought into the at- the loose ones. Burns was ready to lobbed off his gloves for Pant to Lawrence (0) plumb. Ravichandran Ashwin 24-2-68-1, tack as early as seventh over but tuck anything on his pads as there complete the formalities after hav- But things turned for worse dur- Shahbaz Nadeem 20-3-69-0, Sibley and Rory Burns during the was no juice in the track to assist ing dropped him down the leg-side. ing the next two sessions as Indian Washington Sundar 12-0-55-0. first 90 minutes were solid, putting the new ball bowlers. As Sachin Tendulkar had pre- bowlers with three spinners in their on 63 runs for the opening stand. It was a moment’s indiscretion on dicted, there was reverse swing on line-up bowled as many as 11 no-balls. 1097 PLAYERS REGISTER Chennaiyin FC, Bengaluru play Mighty ATKMB test ahead of Odisha FC FOR IPL 2021 AUCTION PRESS TRUST OF INDIA going to find that,” Peyton added. out drab draw Club captain Steven Taylor will PRESS TRUST OF INDIA KXIP have the biggest Bambolim, Feb 5: Their coach remain suspended for the game as AGENCIES sacked after an unsavoury com- Odisha will be desperate for a turn- Chennai, Feb 5: As many as 1097 purse available with ment, bottom-placed Odisha FC around, while second-placed Bagan players have registered for the `53.20cr, followed by RCB Goa, Feb 5: Chennaiyin FC and (OFC) will look to regroup and get will look to close in the gap on lead- much- awaited IPL auction to be (`35.90cr), RR (`34.85cr), Bengaluru FC huffed and puffed their campaign back on track when ers Mumbai City FC. held here on February 18 with most ` ` but neither could put the ball in the they take on ATK Mohun Bagan The last time the two teams met entries coming from the West Indies CSK ( 22.90cr), MI ( 15.35cr), back of the net as their Indian (ATKMB) in a must-win Indian earlier this season, a goal from Roy (56) followed by Australia (42) and DC (`12.9cr) and `10.75cr Super League (ISL) encounter Super League game here Saturday. Krishna proved to be the differ- South Africa (38). each for KKR and SRH ended goalless, Friday. Rooted at the bottom of the table ence despite Odisha carving out The player registration deadline Chennaiyin could have sealed a after 14 games with just eight points, multiple opportunities and threat- closed Thursday and the list com- squad, 61 players will be taken in win had the woodwork not denied Odisha have struggled all season. ening Bagan. prises 207 international players in- the auction (of which up to 22 may them a goal in the 85th minute. They have won just one match be- ATKMB coach Antonio Lopez cluding 21 capped Indians. Twenty be overseas players),” read the IPL Memo Moura took a free-kick 30 sides conceding 21 goals, which is Habas is aware Odisha will be even seven players will represent the as- statement, Friday. yards from goal. He hit the ball hard the second-worst record in the league. loss to Jamshedpur FC, Monday. termination to win as many games hungrier this time, as they prepare sociate nations and 863 uncapped Country-wise breakdown of 283 as he shot for a goal from this dis- Their attackers haven’t been clin- There will be additional pressure as possible and take the club for- for life without Baxter. cricketers, including 743 Indians overseas players who have regis- tance. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu dived ical enough. Barring own goals, on the team as it looks to snap a ward,” said Peyton. “We have to play against Odisha and 68 overseas. The number of un- tered: Afghanistan (30), Australia to his right but couldn’t get to the Odisha have netted just 11 – the winless run of five games “If you look at nearly all the the same way we play against capped Indians who have played at (42), B’desh (5), England (21), Ireland ball. Luckily for Sandhu, the ball hit joint-least by a team. under the guidance of Gerald games we’ve played, we’ve been a Mumbai,” said Habas. “They are in least one IPL game stands at 50 and (2), Nepal (8), Netherlands (1), NZ the upright of the post and the sheer On top of it, their head coach Peyton, who took the charge on fraction away (from getting results). a special situation because the two for overseas uncapped players. (29), Scotland (7), South Africa (38), force it was hit with, took the de- Stuart Baxter was booted out for an interim basis. It’s been one goal in every game coach is out. Maybe when the team “If every franchise were to have Sri Lanka (31), UAE (9), USA (2), flection outside the box. Enes Sipovic making comment on rape to criticise “In the last six games, we’re going and finding that combination to go changes or the coach changes, the the maximum of 25 players in their West Indies (56), Zimbabwe (2). then blasted the ball off target. a refereeing decision after the team’s to show a positive attitude, a de- and win games, I’m sure we are motivation increases,” he added. Serena, Osaka drawn in same half Jose ends up in wrong side of history ASSOCIATED PRESS AGENCIES Nagal draws Berankis in Australian Open Jose Mourinho Melbourne, Feb 5: Serena Williams London, Feb 5: Jose Mourinho congratulates has been drawn into the same quar- MELBOURNE: Sumit Nagal was expecting a clash against a top 10 player had a humbling night Thursday Thomas Tuchel ter at the Australian Open as No.2- in his opener but the India tennis player on Friday drew Lithuania’s as Thomas Tuchel matched his (in blue) after ranked Simona Halep and the same Ricardas Berankis as his first round opponent at the Australian Open own benchmark as Chelsea manager the match half as Naomi Osaka in her latest here. It will be Nagal’s second clash against the World No.72 in as many while handing out a historic de- bid for a record-equaling 24th Grand weeks after losing to the Lithuanian early this week in the build-up feat to the Tottenham boss. Slam singles title. event. If Nagal, a wild card entrant and World No.139, can cross the first Jorginho scored the only goal First up for the seven-time hurdle, he will run into either 19th seed Russian Karen Khachanov or of the game from the penalty Australian Open champion will be local wild card Aleksandar Vukic. It will be Nagal’s third Grand Slam spot after Eric Dier needlessly Laura Siegemund of Germany. And men's singles appearance, having competed in US Open (2019, 2020) fouled Timo Werner in the area. twice. In the men’s doubles, Rohan Bopanna and Divih Sharan will that’s her immediate focus. The result took Chelsea up to sixth compete with their respective partners. US Open champion Osaka will in the Premier League, three points face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in clear of Spurs but having played a home record at Chelsea was with- The game added to a miserable the first round and has major win- were playing against each other in the French Open last year — will game more. out compare, as he started an run for Mourinho against his for- ners Angelique Kerber, Garbine an ATP Cup doubles match when the open against Laslo Djere and could Spurs had also lost their last 86-game unbeaten run at Stamford mer side. He hasn’t won any of his Muguruza, last year’s runner-up way to a breakthrough major title. draw was made Friday for the sea- face fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas home game when they were seen off Bridge. last seven games against Chelsea, y in Australia, Venus Williams and Novak Djokovic’s bid for a third son-opening major. Djokovic edged in the quarterfinals. 1-3 by Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. It New Blues boss Tuchel has got- drawing three and losing four.

Bianca Andreescu in her quarter. consecutive Australian title, and Zverev in the second singles match The official draw was delayed was the first time in Mourinho’s en- ten his own tenure off to a good It is his joint-longest winless run

k k y y m m c c Defending champion Sofia Kenin ninth overall, could get tricky. He has to pull defending champion Serbia by a day because all play was sus- tire managerial career that he has start, with two wins and a draw against any opponent in his man- is on the top half of the women’s an opener against Jerome Chardy level at 1-1 with Germany, with the pended Thursday while 160 players suffered back-to-back home league from his first three matches. He agerial career, matching another draw along with No.1-ranked Ash and three-time major winner Stan winner advancing to the final. had to isolate and get tested for defeats, an incredible run span- has also become the first Chelsea spell of seven games without a Barty and they could potentially Wawrinka, Milos Raonic and Rafa Nadal, aiming to win a record COVID-19 after a worker in one of ning 326 home league games at manager since Mourinho in 2004 to win against Barcelona between meet in the semifinals again. Kenin Alexander Zverev are in his quarter. 21st major singles title — he moved the tournament hotel quarantine ho- eight different clubs. keep a clean sheet in each of his first 2011 and 2012 while manager of won that encounter last year on her Top-ranked Djokovic and Zverev equal with Roger Federer by winning tels tested positive. Earlier in his career, Mourinho’s three league games. Real Madrid.

Printed and published by Tathagata Satpathy on behalf of Navajat Printers and Media Pvt. Ltd. and printed at Navajat Printers, B-15 Industrial Estate, Rasulgarh, Bhubaneswar -751010, Odisha;Phone:7894447142(Marketing). Editor: Tathagata Satpathy, RNI No. ORIENG/2011/37159