" $ VRGR '%&((!1#VCEB R BP A"'!#$#1!$"#0$"T utqVQWBuxy( 12!314 *56+ '&-'-. '+,) %&'()* 0''0$98 +8>"9$-,- 0'8/8--,::8 !" ! # #$"#% %#%# % -9'&.'0'.,8 '8-8$'.'$ -,-808:8'$ #&#%%# ;. " /)0 4<11& 65= # % 7% 89*5: $ *6 ;' - 8 '!! !"#$ %$!&##' ()**+, ( (* Instead, it will launch awareness drive to persuade train passengers to travel light +,+' $ 808.9 rying excess luggage cause mid expression of opti- much inconvenience to fellow Amism and outright pes- earing public outrage and passengers. Hence, a special simism voiced by the two sides, Fcontroversy over the pro- educative-cum-awareness drive BJP’s national president Amit posed penalty on passengers has been launched to educate Shah had a lengthy meeting carrying excess luggage in passengers not to carry exces- with Shiv Sena president trains, the Railway Ministry has sive luggage for the conve- Uddhav Thackeray on decided to shelve the move and nience of fellow passengers. Wednesday in an effort to iron instead launch a “public aware- “During this drive, pas- out differences between the ness campaign”. sengers are to be informed parties and renew tie-up for the The decision of the Indian about rules regarding free 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Railways to strictly enforce its allowance, maximum permis- Accompanied by over three-decade-old luggage sible quantity of luggage and Maharashtra Chief Minister allowance rules by slapping other provisions of railway Devendra Fadnavis, Shah drove % -) )) + . up to six-time penalty for car- luggage allowance,” said Rajesh to Thackerays’ “Matoshri” res- * +, rying excess load in train had Bajpayee, spokesman, the idence at Bandra in north- led to widespread outrage and Ministry of Railways. west Mumbai around 7.45 pm understood to have broken the between them and bitter elec- people took to the social media In its awareness pro- and spent more than two hours ice and set tone for more toral battle in the recent Palghar to condemn the order. gramme which will continue interacting with Uddhav and rounds of talks between them. Lok Sabha bypoll, Wednesday’s The implementation of the without penalising the pas- Sena’s youth-wing chief and After the meeting, Shah left meeting between the two lead- measure could have created sengers, the Railways will try to any extra money, and a maxi- kg of luggage for free and been launched to curb transfer Uddhav’s son Aditya on various “Matoshri” without addressing ers is of considerable impor- serious problem for the pas- educate the passengers not to mum of 80 kg and 70 kg another 50 kg by paying a fee. of ticket cases, without ticket vexed issues between the two the media. Nor was there an tance ahead of the 2019 Lok sengers, especially on stations carry trunks, suitcases and respectively by paying for the An AC 3-tier sleeper/AC chair passengers, irregular ticket pas- parties, including the need for official word from the Shiv Sabha polls. Earlier in the day, with brief stoppage because the boxes beyond the prescribed excess luggage at the parcel car passenger can carry 40 kg sengers, detection of the two saffron alliance part- Sena on what transpired at the the Shiv Sena poured cold water excess luggage needed to be measurements of 100cmX office. The excess luggage of luggage for free and a max- fake/forged tickets, if any. ners contesting the 2019 elec- meeting. Earlier, the television on the BJP’s hopes of sewing up booked into parcel vans. 60cm X 25cm (length, breadth, would have to be put in the lug- imum of 80 kg after paying a “The purpose of this drive tions as an alliance. footage showed that Uddhav ties with it for the 2019 Lok Sources said Railway height). gage van. fee for the excess 40 kg. is to facilitate the honest trav- During the course of the coming to his doorstep to see Sabha polls by ridiculing the Minister Piyush Goyal was According to the pre- Similarly, an AC first class Railway officials further eller and nab the mischievous lengthy meeting, Shah and off Shah and Fadnavis. very purpose of a meeting unhappy with the proposed scribed existing norms, a sleep- passenger can carry 70 kg of stated that keeping in view the persons. The Media is request- Uddhav had a one-to-one sit- Though there was no offi- between Shah and Uddhav.“At measures and directed the offi- er class and a second class pas- luggage for free and a maxi- fact that peak summer rush ed to give wide publicity ting in which the two leaders cial confirmation from either of a time when Prime Minister cials to drop it forthwith. senger can carry luggage mum of 150 kg after paying a gives scope to nefarious ele- request all to travel only with are understood to have dis- the saffron alliance partners, Narendra Modi is on a world “It was felt that in heavy weighing 40 kg and 35 kg fee for the excess 80 kg. An AC ments for toutism, a special valid ID,” added Spokesman cussed various issues between speculation has it that Shah tour, BJP’s president Amit Shah summer rush, passengers car- respectively without paying two-tier passenger can carry 50 Ticket Checking Drive has of the Ministry of Railways. the two parties which are com- might offer a Cabinet berth to is a nation-wide tour. What is ing in the way of the Sena the Shiv Sena in the expansion the actual purpose behind Shah reconsidering its stated position of the Cabinet that Prime meeting the leaders of NDA that it would contest all future Minister Narendra Modi would constituents?... The Shiv Sena elections on its own. The two in all likelihood undertake in will fight the 2019 polls on its leaders also had two rounds of July, and the nomination of own strength. The Palghar Lok talks in the presence of Sena’s man as candidate for the Sabha bypoll outcome has Fadnavis and Aditya. Deputy Chairman for the Rajya already proved the Shiv Sena’s Given the elaborate delib- Sabha election, which is likely strength,” the Sena stated in an eration on various issues that to take place in July this year. editorial published in its offi- Shah and Uddhav had at the Held against the backdrop cial mouth-piece “Saamana”. Information Commission ask- meeting, the two leaders are of acute strained relations Continued on Page 4 ing about the promised bene- fits of the PMFBY. The BRFSY will provide financial help to farmers, shield ! them against nature’s vagaries, 808.9 provide continuity of income in $ +,+' adverse situations and make ihar Chief Minister Nitish agriculture a profitable ising oil prices and its infla- BKumar has dumped Prime livelihood. The move has come Rtionary impact has forced Minister Narendra Modi’s flag- just a day before the talks the Reserve Bank of India to ship programme Pradhan between the NDA constituents hike the repo rate by 0.25 per Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in Bihar, where the issue of ! " cent for the first time in over (PMFBY) on the ground that it seat-sharing for 2019 Lok # four years. was helping insurance compa- Sabha polls is expected to be The move will lead to high- This is the first increase in tion of 4 per cent within a band nies more than farmers. In its high on agenda. er EMIs for home, auto and interest rate since January 28, of +/- 2 per cent, while sup- place, the Nitish Government Unlike the PMFBY, where $ 808.9 first time fixing 29 per kg as other loans as the banks are 2014, when rates were hiked by porting growth, he added. on Tuesday launched its own the farmers have also to pay a the minimum price below !"! $ likely to pass on the hike to a similar proportion to 8 per Retail inflation has been Bihar Rajya Fasal Sahayata part of the premium, they will ays after the BJP lost elec- which mills cannot sell sweet- ! & their customers. Anticipating a cent. The RBI retained the sharper than anticipated and it Yojana (BRFSY) to provide not have to pay anything from Dtion in Kairana, the sug- ener. rise in interest rate, several GDP growth forecast for 2018- remained above the 4 per cent relief to farmers. their pocket under this scheme. arcane belt of Uttar Pradesh, These decisions are aimed ' banks, including SBI, ICICI 19 at 7.4 per cent on hopes of target in last 6 months, with the The scheme will be for all The farmers will be able to the Centre on Wednesday at helping mills in clearing pa- ( ) and Bank of Baroda, had in last further boost to investments RBI maintaining status quo types of farmers — those who avail the benefits if they incur announced 8,500-crore pack- rt of over 22,000-crore *+ # one week raised lending rates and higher consumption. during the period. As per the have their own farms, as well as crop damage due to natural age to boost farmers’ income by arrears to cane farmers, said by up to 0.1 per cent making In the second bi-monthly latest print, retail inflation inc- those who work on others’ calamities. Under the new creating a buffer stock for Union Minister Ram Vilas # loans costliers. Experts feel monetary policy of the 2018- hed up to 4.58 per cent in April. fields. More than 90 per cent scheme, farmers will be regis- sugar, enhancing ethanol pro- Paswan, detailing the Cabinet $ % $ there will be more rate hike in 19, the RBI saw major upside Reacting to rate hike, Icra farmers in the State have less tered online without any duction capacity and fixing a decision.