' 5 76 - # 8 # 8 8 0!%$#*12 7979: 67(8,* .;&9&<,4 <=2%= 30O9:9:4-26250 0=4505>=,=/ ! " # ""#$!#% %#%#% /=6-202 $62;25605)0(205 $>20-?$=456 #&#%%# @ !.!A /# 99 @0 2 0 & & 3 4+3+567 2 0*234(0 52/623 Haryana, 25.01 lakh hectare are under wheat cultivation. he hailstorm and rainfall As per latest Agriculture Tthat lashed Punjab, Ministry’s data, sowing of win- Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, ter or rabi crops, an indicator Uttarakhand and Himachal of the pace of farm activities, is Pradesh on Tuesday may dam- down by nearly 5 per cent com- age the ongoing standing rabi pared to last year. A significant crops, including wheat culti- fall in sowing in Gujarat, vation. The national Capital Maharashtra, West Bengal and was also whipped by severe Rajasthan has affected wheat hailstorm and downpour since and other crops, bringing the early on Tuesday. overall area under rabi crops According to Agriculture down by nearly 5 per cent to Ministry officials, while the 588 lakh hectares. The total production of wheat and other area cultivated in the corre- rabi crops was expected to sponding week in 2017-18 was come down this year as the around 618 lakh hectare. sowing area has reduced as Rabi cultivation data compared to that of the last released by the Agriculture year, the hailstorm will further Ministry showed the area damage the rabi crops. under rice is about 21.5 per “However, it is too early to cent lower than the same peri- estimate the damage from hail- od last year due to a drop in storm. The State Government’s rice cultivation in Tamil Nadu Agriculture Department will and Andhra Pradesh. Despite assess the damage and inform favoured conditions for the the Ministry,” said officials. rabi crops, wheat cultivation, The India Meteorological on the other hand, reported a Department (IMD) has pre- Rain lashed the plains balls at one another. 2.5-per cent deficit as com- dicted widespread rainfall, hail- while higher reaches of Director of the Punjab pared to last year. As against an storm with gusty wind and Kashmir witnessed fresh snow- Agriculture Department Jasbir area of around 304 lakh hectare ! " # ! $ snowfall along with heavy rain- fall for the second day. The Singh Bains advised wheat sown in 2017-18, the area # % &%' fall over Jammu & Kashmir, snowfall and rain blocked the growers to not let rainwater under wheat cultivation is Himachal Pradesh and 300-km long Srinagar-Jammu stagnate in the field as it could around 296 lakh hectare, main- in 2017-18, the pulse has been Uttarakhand on Wednesday. national highway. The flight be harmful to the crop. ly because of drop in sowing in grown only in 95 lakh hectare ,+ *1 The IMD said rain and operations at the airport here Naseeb Singh, a farmer drought-hit Maharashtra and so far. Coarse cereals, too, are thunderstorm will continue on were also affected. Four flights from Jind district, said rain at Gujarat, as well as West Bengal. faring badly, with an overall Wednesday in northern and were cancelled and 11 delayed this time will help in contain- There is nearly a 10 per drop in area of nearly northwest parts of the country due to poor visibility. The ing the fungal disease yellow cent drop in the sowing of 14 per cent. 2 due to intense western distur- Himachal Pradesh capital and rust, but hailstorm will destroy gram, a major pulse crop of the The area under jowar cul- bance bearing down on North picturesque Manali and crop. Wheat is the main rabi season. This deficit has pulled tivation at 24.6 lakh hectare is West India and cyclonic circu- Dalhousie on Tuesday wit- crop in Punjab and is grown in down the overall pulses area by around 19 per cent lower than lation developed over nessed more snow that snapped over 35 lakh hectare area in the over 5.5 per cent. As compared the 30.27 lakh hectare last Afghanistan and Central road links, however tourists State, also known as the food to the 157.8-lakh hectare cov- year; maize is down by 9.5 per Pakistan. made merry by hurling snow- bowl of the country. In ered in the corresponding week cent to 14 lakh hectare. &! '( ! *+,- #$ 52/623 Varanasi: Prime Minister environment. Narendra Modi on Tuesday Taking a swipe at the ith controversy erupting referred to former premier Congress over the issue of cor- Wover allegations made by Rajiv Gandhi’s remarks on cor- ruption, Modi said it got to Locals rescued the injured Reports said the death toll a self-proclaimed cyber expert ruption in the country to attack know about the disease, trapped inside the mangled was likely to increase as the who alleged Electronic Voting the Congress, saying the party acknowledged the disease, but mini-truck. Police and Fire conditions of some injured Machines (EVMs) can be that ruled for years did noth- neither thought about it, nor Services personnel rushed to persons were stated to be very hacked and the 2014 Lok Sabha ing to stop the “loot”, while his did anything in the direction of the spot and shifted the injured critical. polls were rigged, the Election Government put an end to it curing the ailment. to hospitals. Transport Minister Commission on Tuesday filed and transferred about “Many people here would -34$05 While six persons died on Nrusingha Sahu said that a complaint with the Delhi 5,80,000 crore directly to the have heard what a former the spot, four others suc- despite several awareness pro- Police, asking it to register an people under various schemes. Prime Minister had said about s many as ten persons, cumbed to their injuries while grammes, people are flouting FIR against him for his false Without naming Gandhi, corruption. He had said that Aincluding women and chil- undergoing treatment at the the traffic rules. They are trav- claims which, it said, can “cre- he alluded to the former Prime the money that the Central dren, were killed and 25 oth- MKCG Medical College elling in vehicles which are ate fear” in voters’ minds. Minister’s remarks that only 15 Government sends, only 15 per ers sustained critical injuries Hospital in Brahmapur. meant for transportation of In its complaint to the paise of 1 reaches the masses cent of that reaches the people. when a mini-truck by which The injured persons had goods. But action would be Deputy Commissioner of and said Congress If one rupee is send from they were travelling skidded off been admitted to the taken against guilty after he Police (New Delhi District), the Governments over the years did Delhi, only 15 paise reaches the the Bangadadua Ghat into a Brahmanigaon hospital and gets a probe report on the inci- poll panel asked police to inves- nothing to stop the “leakage”. villages, 85 paise disappear,” deep gorge near the MKCG Hospital. dent. tigate the matter “promptly” for Addressing NRIs and & $ ( & ) Modi said, alluding to Gandhi’s Brahmanigaon in Kandhamal violation of certain sections of Indian-origin people at the # * + , % &%' remarks. district on Tuesday. the Indian Penal Code dealing inauguration of the 15th “The party that ruled the Sources said the mishap +' P- with spreading rumour to Pravasi Bharatiya Divas con- changed the perception that others. Chief Ministers of UP, country for so many years had took place in the morning alarm the public and other pro- vention in his parliamentary India cannot change, he said in Haryana and Uttarakhand — given the system to the coun- when the mini-truck carrying & & : Expressing grief over the road mishap in visions of related laws. Syed constituency of Varanasi in the presence of Mauritian Yogi Adityanath, Manohar Lal try, a truth that was accepted over 40 passengers was en Kandhamal district which claimed lives of 10 persons and Shuja had on Monday claimed Uttar Pradesh, Modi described Prime Minister Pravind Khattar and Trivendra Singh by the then Prime Minister. route to Brahmanigaon from left many others injured, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at an event in London that the the diaspora as India’s brand Jugnauth, External Affairs Rawat — attended the meet. But what is regrettable is that Kalingi. The driver suddenly announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each for the EVMs can be tampered with ambassadors and said they Minister Sushma Swaraj, Modi said India’s contri- later in its rule of 10-15 years, lost control over the vehicle, next of kin of the deceased. Patnaik also directed to and that the 2014 Lok Sabha were the symbols of the coun- Minister of State for External bution was being recognised at there was no effort made to following which the truck provide free medical treatment to the injured and wished elections were rigged. try’s capabilities. Affairs VK Singh and UP the international level, espe- end this loot and leakage,” plunged into the 40-feet-deep their quick recovery. PNS Detailed report on P5 The Government has Governor Ram Naik among cially its role with regard to Modi said. gorge. .$.# . 4,- /*+0 and in proper use of technol- !" ogy in a fully transparency # manner. I felt extremely self- content talking to people and working for them directly 52/623 under the programme," said !"##!$%$% the Chief Minister. oachers killed at least 102 '! On Saturday, the Chief Pone-horned rhinoceros ( Under the programme, Minister sanctioned projects during the last ten years with ) Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik worth Rs 39.53 crore in blocks Assam topping the list fol- $ $34$052/0 approves projects in rural such as Dashapalla in lowed by West Bengal, accord- * !+ areas after holding discus- Nayagarh disrict, ing to data obtained under the he Ama Gaon Ama Bikash sions with village people Jagatsinghpur Sadar and Right to Information (RTI) $,$ Tprogamme, which was directly.