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Mumbai NEARBY Even hill stations will be GDP growth pegged at 7.1%, hotter this year, warns IMD belying demonetisation drag ‘Above normal’ temperatures forecast across the country No CBI probe into paper Jacob Koshy Improved estimate in net indirect taxes helped maintain GDP, says CSO leak case: Nitish New Delhi PATNA Prepare for a scorching sum- Special Correspondent Breaking his silence over the New Delhi OECD puts paper leak scam, Bihar Chief mer as the India Meteorolo- Minister Nitish Kumar on gical Department has fore- The Central Statistics Office Tuesday brushed aside demand cast “above normal” (CSO) has kept its January es- growth at 7% for a CBI inquiry, saying he temperatures across most of timate for growth in gross never practised politics of the country. Himachal Pra- domestic product (GDP) in The Organisation for Eco- “framing anyone.” desh, Uttarakhand, Jammu 2016-17 unchanged at 7.1%, nomic Cooperation and and Kashmir — or hill-station signalling that independent Development (OECD) on NATION Ī PAGE 7 DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD States popular among tour- economic forecasters may Tuesday cut its growth pro- ists wanting to escape the have overstated the drag on jection for India in 2016-17 MoEF seeks ive-year heat — are expected to be the economy from the to 7%, from an earlier pro- ban on BBC crew particularly hot with pre- November withdrawal of jection of 7.4%, citing the KOLKATA dicted temperatures, on av- high-value currency notes. “transitory and short-term The Ministry of Environment erage, likely to be well above The CSO, which released costs” from demonetisa- and Forests and Climate 1 degree C above their nor- its second advance estimates tion. It forecast growth for Change has urged the mal summer temperatures. Bone-dry: The prevalent conditions seem to be a grim warning of economic growth on 2017-18 at 7.3%, rising to Ministry of External Afairs to Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, of a water crisis this summer. A scene in Khammam. G.N.RAO Tuesday, also provided GDP 7.7% in 2018-19. Ī PAGE 13 revoke the visas of BBC’s DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD South Asia correspondent Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Gross Value Added Justin Rowlatt and his crew. Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, trend over previous months. phone conversation. “I think (GVA) figures for the third Chhattisgarh, Bihar, 2016 was the warmest year the summer may be slightly quarter, which showed GDP there should not be further timates. For Q3, the GVA ect taxes,” Chief Statistician NATION Ī PAGE 10 Jharkhand, West Bengal, in a century, according to milder than last year.” Last growth slowing to 7%, from changes on account of de- growth rate is estimated at of India TCA Anant said at a DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Odisha and Telangana are the IMD, with the country year’s elevated temperature 7.3% in the second quarter of monetisation. The numbers 6.6%, down from the 7.1% re- press conference. other States in the “core 0.91 C warmer than the 1961- was mainly due to a particu- the financial year. are vindication that demon- ported in Q2. The CSO also The Election Commission heat zone” that are likely to 1990 average. The summer larly warm winter that was etisation didn’t have a major revised downward the GVA had barred CSO from releas- see significantly warmer months of March-May last the warmest since 1901. ‘A pleasant surprise’ impact on the economy. growth rates for the first two ing State-specific data on temperatures. The IMD year were 1.36 C higher than The weather agency “The GDP numbers are def- They have looked at all the quarters to 6.9% in Q1 and economic growth projec- weather model, used to pre- historical average, making it blames global warming. initely a surprise, but a numbers at their disposal 6.7% in Q2, from the 7.3% tions, in view of the ongoing pare the forecast, shows a the second-warmest since “Studies indicate increasing pleasant surprise,” said and have come out with and 7.1% reported earlier. Assembly elections. 47% probability of summer 1901. trends in the frequency and Madan Sabnavis, Chief Eco- their estimate.” “The reason why GDP has The Commission gave a temperatures being above “We expect most of the duration of heat waves over nomist at Care Ratings. The official figures peg maintained is because the clearance to the release of OPPORTUNITIES Ī DELHI METRO normal. warming to be in the north- the country.” “Since the CSO has not re- GVA growth for the full year reduction in GVA has been only national level data. PAGES 4 & 5 The summer forecast is in west,” said K.J. Ramesh, Dir- vised downward the annual at 6.7% as against the 7% pro- compensated for by an im- DELHI METRO Ī 6 PAGES line with a generally warm ector-General IMD in a CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 10 estimate, we can expect that jected in the first advance es- proved estimate in net indir- CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 10 Senior Ministers come out in support of Kaur Oicial contradicts PM Modi Any daughter of any political ideology, belongs to this country, says Rajnath Singh on Kanpur train accident Vijaita Singh New Delhi No sabotage, Director-General tells videoconference Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said on Tuesday details. “We only did the that Delhi University student Vijaita Singh preliminary investigations. New Delhi Gurmehar Kaur who faced The National Investigation abuse and rape threats on Days after Prime Minister Agency (NIA) is conducting social media for speaking out Narendra Modi told an elec- the final probe,” Mr. Gupta against Akhil Bhartiya Vidy- tion rally in Uttar Pradesh told The Hindu. arthi Parishad (ABVP) mem- that the Kanpur train acci- In his address to officials, bers, left Delhi “by choice”. dent, which killed over 140 Mr. Prabhu hinted at pos- Mr. Rijiju said that he sus- people last year, was a “con- sible acts of sabotage in re- pected a fake account was spiracy planned by people cent train accidents and said used to send threat messages sitting across the border,” the NIA was probing three Suresh Prabhu to Ms. Kaur and action would the chief of Uttar Pradesh such cases. be taken. railway police told a video of derailment of 14 coaches On Friday, when Mr. Modi After the strong com- conference organised by of the Indore–Patna Express hinted at Pakistan’s role in ments made by Mr. Rijiju and Railway Minister Suresh near Kanpur was not an act the Kanpur accident, the BJP MP Pratap Simha againt Prabhu that there was no of sabotage but “fatigue of NIA questioned Shamshul Ms. Kaur, Home Minister Ra- sabotage. railway tracks” and they had Hoda, a Nepalese business- jnath Singh and Law Minister On Monday, Mr. Prabhu found no traces of explos- man arrested in Kathmandu. Ravi Shankar Prasad came addressed the railway police ives at the accident site. out in support of Ms. Kaur. chiefs of all the States A source said Mr. Prabhu Prime suspect through video conference to was not present in the con- Hoda, wanted by Nepal po- ‘Deal with caution’ discuss the “railway safety ference when Mr. Gupta lice in a double murder case A source said Mr. Singh had measures” in the wake of re- made the submissions but is alleged to be a prime sus- asked Delhi Police Commis- cent train accidents. senior railway officials who pect in mobilising people in sioner Amulya Patnaik to were there could not contra- India to plant explosives at deal with the students cau- ‘No bomb traces’ dict Mr. Gupta. railway tracks allegedly at tiously and not create unne- Gopal Gupta, DG, Railways, Mr. Gupta confirmed that the behest of Pakistan’s ISI. cessary tension on the col- Uttar Pradesh Police told the he was present in the meet- CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 lege campus. United against violence: Students taking out a ‘Save DU’ march on the North Campus of Delhi University on Tuesday in protest participants that the cause ing but refused to share the Ī “Gurmehar Kaur is a mar- against the violence at Ramjas College last week. SANDEEP SAXENA tyr’s daughter and we should respect this fact. Those who sponsibility to protect her.”) of Ms. Kaur’s complaint to gains. Rijiju. Asked whether are politicising the matter, I the Delhi Commission for someone from the establish- want to ask a question from Online campaign Women (DCW). In a string of Freedom to speak ment should speak to Ms. them as to what they have to Ms. Kaur, a first-year student tweets on Monday, Mr. Rijiju “She has the freedom to Kaur and persuade her to re- say about her father who was of Lady Shri Ram College for had sought to know who had speak whatever she wants to, turn to Delhi, Mr. Rijiju said, killed by terrorists?” said Mr. Women who started an on- polluted the young girl’s but the Congress is an old “Delhi is safe, don’t make Prasad. Mr. Singh told NDTV, line campaign “I am against mind.