cmyk

cmyk

y

12 PAGES | `4.00BHUBANESWAR | SATURDAY, JANUARY 30 | 2021

y

VOLUME 10, ISSUE 298 | www.orissapost.com

IRREGULAR by MANJUL

I want to follow him but he is not on Twitter.

AGENCIES

New Delhi, Jan 29: India’sGross Domestic Product(GDP) is projected to contractby a record 7.7 per cent inthe current fiscal endingMarch 31, 2021, the Pre-BudgetEconomic Survey said Friday.

The economy is likely to re-bound with an 11 per centgrowth in the next financialyear as it makes a ‘V-shaped’recovery after witnessing apandemic-led carnage.

India witnessed its last an-nual contraction of 5.2 percent in fiscal year 1979-80.

The Economic Survey 2020-

21 said the agriculture sectoris the only silver lining whileservices, manufacturing andconstruction were most hit bythe lockdown that was im-posed to curb the outbreak ofthe COVID-19 pandemic.

After an estimated 7.7 percent pandemic-driven con-traction in 2020-21, India’sreal GDP is projected to recorda growth of 11.0 per cent in2021-22 and nominal GDP by15.4 per cent.

These conservative esti-mates reflect upside poten-tial that can manifest due tothe continued normalisationin economic activities as the

rollout of COVID-19 vaccinesgathers traction, the surveysaid.

The growth will furtherbe supported by supply-sidepush from reforms and eas-ing of regulations, push forinfrastructural investments,

boost to manufacturing sec-tor through the ProductivityLinked Incentive Schemes,recovery of pent-up demandfor services sector, increasein discretionary consump-tion subsequent to roll-outof the vaccine and pick up in

credit given adequate liq-uidity and low interest rates,it said. The survey tabled inParliament by FinanceMinister Nirmala Sitharamansaid there is likely to be a fis-cal slippage during the yearbased on the available trendsfor April to November 2020.

MORE P11

AGENCIES

New Delhi, Jan 29: Violence brokeout at the Singhu border protestsite after large groups of peopleclaiming to be locals reached thereto vacate the area, leading to a clashbetween them and agitating farm-ers and prompting police to resortto baton charge and use tear gasshells.

Delhi Police SHO (Alipur)Pradeep Paliwal was injured in theviolence after a man attacked himwith a sword, an official said, addingthat some people were also wounded.

The official said that police de-tained the man who attacked the sta-tion house officer. The locals de-manded that the farmers vacatethe Singhu border protest site asthey had "insulted" the national

flag during their tractor parade onRepublic Day.

Armed with sticks, the group oflocals reached the site and asked thefarmers to leave while raising slo-gans against them. Both sides also

pelted stones at each other. Theprotestors at the Singhu border,much of which is barred for entryfrom outside, were coming out innumbers to resist the locals.

However, they were promptly

stopped by farmer union volun-teers which helped the situationfrom turning ugly. "They are not lo-cals, but hired goons. They werethrowing stones, petrol bombs at us.They attempted to burn down ourtrolleys also. We are here to resistthem. We won't leave the place,"said Harkirat Mann Beniwal, 21,from Punjab's Khana district.

POST NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi, Jan 29: A high-levelcommittee under the chairman-ship of Union Home Minister AmitShah has approved additional cen-tral assistance of `320.94 croreunder the National DisasterResponse Fund (NDRF)for the havoc caused byfloods and landslidesin Odisha.

According to theministry, the committeehas approved additionalcentral assistance of`1,751.05 crore to fivestates which were af-fected by floods and landslides dur-ing the South West monsoon 2020and hailstorm.

While approving the additionalrelief, the Home Minister said that

the Union government under theleadership of Prime MinisterNarendra Modi has resolved tohelp our sisters and brothers ofOdisha, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh,Telangana and Uttar Pradesh whobraved these natural disasters.

Besides Odisha, the union gov-ernment has approved`437.15 crore for Assam,`75.86 crore forArunachal Pradesh,`245.96 crore forTelangana and ̀ 386.06crore for Uttar Pradesh.

The ministry furthersaid that in all the fivestates, the government

had deputed Inter-MinisterialCentral Teams immediately afterthe calamities, without waiting forthe receipt of Memorandum fromthe state governments.

BLAST IN DELHI NEW DELHI: A minor IED blast took place outside the IsraeliEmbassy in the heart of LutyensDelhi Friday evening, police said. No one was injured. P9

POST NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi, Jan 29: Accessto bare necessities such ashousing, water, sanitation,electricity and clean cookingfuel has been lowest in Odishain 2018, states the EconomicSurvey 2020-21.

“Access to bare necessities

is the highest in the statessuch as Kerala, Punjab,Haryana and Gujarat while itis the lowest in Odisha,Jharkhand, West Bengal andTripura,” the survey reveals.

Odisha has also beenplaced at the bottom onthe drinking water acces-sibility index.

ACCESS TO BASIC NECESSITIES

Odisha at rock bottom

ONCE-IN-A-CENTURY CRISIS ECONOMIC CONTRACTION PROJECTED AT 7.7 PC IN FY21, STATES ECONOMIC SURVEY

Chief Economic Advisor KrishnamurthySubramanian addresses a press conferenceon Economic Survey 2020-21, in New Delhi

ECONOMIC SURVEY HIGHLIGHTSn 11 pc GDP growth projected in FY22n Farm sector remains silver liningn V-shaped recovery supported by vaccination driven Exports to decline by 5.8 pc, imports by 11.3 pcn Healthcare spending up from 1 pc to 2.5-3 pc of GDPn Sovereign credit ratings do not reflect India’s fundamentals n India reaping ‘lockdown dividend’ by saving lives, livelihood

Singhu border witnesses violence

People claiming to be local villagers hurl stones on farmers protesting at theSinghu Border in New Delhi PTI PHOTO

PREZ BACKS FARM LAWS

P resident Ram Nath Kovind Fridaystrongly defended the three new

agri laws saying their benefits havebegun reaching 10 crore small farm-ers instantly and condemned as “veryunfortunate” the Republic Day vio-lence and “dishonor” to the tricolourduring the tractor parade by theprotesting farm unions. MORE P8

Centre okays flood relief

Besides `320.94additional

assistance toOdisha, the Centre

approved floodrelief for four other

states

India is witnessing a V-shaped economic recovery.History will judge India’s

Covid policy response as mature.Economic survey captures theresilience of Indian economyKRISHNAMURTHY SUBRAMANIAN |CHIEF ECONOMIC ADVISOR

Mumbai: Actress Bhumi Pednekaris shooting for Badhaai Do, a fol-low-up to the National Award-win-ning film Badhaai Ho, at Zero degreeCelsius. Bhumi posted a string ofInstagram images and clips Fridayto share the experience.

Alongside an image, whereshe is seen lazing in bed, shewrote: “Sumi doesn’t wantto leave her bed today#SumiDiaries #BadhaaiDo0 (degrees) C. 4:37 AM.” Sumiis the name of her characterin the film.

Bhumi then shared a picture takenat 5.04am Friday. In the image, the ac-tress is seen sipping on coffee.“Because you’ve got to do what you’vegot to do… Getting ready#SumiDairies,” she wrote.

In a third image, she captured abillboard that read: “You are at 6,000feet”. Bhumi did not share where sheis shooting for the film.

Badhaai Do is the second in-stalment in the Badhaai Ho fran-chise. While the first film starredAyushmann Khurrana andSanya Malhotra, the new film

will see Bhumi team withRajkummar Rao to

take the franchiseforward.

Rajkummarplays the onlymale officer in a

mahila thana inDelhi. Bhumi will

reportedly play a po-lice officer and a PT

teacher.The film is directed by

Harshvardhan Kulkarni,who helmed the GulshanDevaiah-starrer comedyHunterr (2015), and is written bySuman Adhikary and AkshatGhildial, who earlier wroteBadhaai Ho. IANS

P2 SINGER THE WEEKND DOESN’T CAREABOUT THE GRAMMYS ANYMORE

leisure Singer The Weeknd says his past Grammy Award winsmean nothing to him, following his 2021 nominationssnub. Soon after the nominations were announced lastyear, The Weeknd called the Grammy Awards corruptfor denying him nomination even in a single category.

Actress Laverne Cox, who is known for her roleon the popular show Orange Is The New Black,said she is back in the dating business and hasfound love. Laverne spoke on the Ellen DeGeneresshow, shooting remotely, Eonline.com reported.

SATURDAY | JANUARY 30 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

yy

cmyk

cmyk

AQUARIUSYou will come out top inwhatever you choose todo, and success will smellhoneysuckle sweet!Naturally, recognition and rewardsawait you. Take your friends to thattrendy café; you needn't wait for areason to party, says Ganesha.

PISCESYou are likely to be grind-ing yourself under at theworkplace today. A turn-ing point will arise inromantic liaisons, though if theevening awaiting you is anything to goby, it is something you should wel-come wholeheartedly, says Ganesha.

SAGITTARIUSSettling for a new, betteremployment will helpyou fast-track yourcareer growth. A tele-phonic interview might ring in anew offer. A lucrative deal with anMNC would serve well. Your dedica-tion and devotion to work will alsopeak today, says Ganesha.

LIBRAMonotonous is the wordto describe the waythings have been tillnow, but no more, saysGanesha. It might be a very good ideafor you to take a break from thingsaround you and go on a small trip.Invigorate yourself with a small picnicwith family and friends.

SCORPIOInvesting in real estatecould yield maximumprofits today, saysGanesha. An unusual gainfrom speculative trade is also on thecards. But you may need to spend time inthe waiting room, before a more prof-itable opportunity comes by.

LEOOn some days, the sundoesn't seem to haverisen from the east, andneither does it seemyou have gotten up on the right side ofthe bed. You start your day in a tensedatmosphere in the morning, caused bysome annoyance on the part of one ofyour family members. But the day is notas bad as it seems.

VIRGOThe artist, the comedi-an and the showmanin you are all set totake the floor today.Entertain people and set the eveningablaze with your arsenal of jokes andgags, says Ganesha. But save valuabletime and energy for other pressingmatters and responsibilities too.

GEMINIToday, you are likely torack your brains to getthings done. But yourmodesty will not do you any good. You willhave to show that you are the boss, even ifyou are not. Your extraordinary brilliancewill translate into exceptional performanceand will save the day.

CANCERToday, you are likely tobe brimming with loveand compassion.However, certain nega-tive thoughts will spoil all your goodwork. But don't fret! Your efforts won'tgo wasted and you will get the desiredresults sooner or later, says Ganesha.

ARIESCurl, massage, clip,tweeze, polish, gloss,condition... today, willyou attempt to shed your old skin. Adream date may have you in jitters butGanesha suggests that you take it easy.True relationships are not sealed byglossy kisses alone!

FORTUNE FORECAST

TAURUSFortune favours the braveand you will wake up feel-ing gutsy. Your perform-ance will peak today and you will reap thebenefits of real estate and constructionbusiness. Your peers and boss will extendall the support you need.

CAPRICORNIt may seem too far-fetched, but your bosswill bank on your bril-liance and unmatchedabilities to get respite from the existingproblems, says Ganesha. Moreover,much to the dismay of your rivals, youwill have your way and gain popularityby winning the hearts of your clients.

BREVITY

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS CROSSWORDSUDOKU

SOLUTIONS

CRO

SSW

ORD

SUD

OKU

CHECK FOR SOLUTIONS OF THE PUZZLES TOMORROW

post To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 0 to 9 and the letters A to E.

LAVERNE COX REVEALSSHE HAS FOUND LOVE

Los Angeles: Emmy award- winningactress Cicely Tyson, known for her por-trayal of strong Black women on screen,is no more. She was 96.

Tyson, who was nominated at theOscars for her role in Sounder, passedaway Thursday. The news of her demisewas announced by her family through hermanager Larry Thompson, reports va-riety.com.

“I have managed Miss Tyson’s careerfor over 40 years, and each year was a priv-ilege and blessing,” said Thompson,adding: “Cicely thought of her new mem-oir as a Christmas tree decorated with allthe ornaments of her personal and pro-fessional life. Today she placed the lastornament, a Star, on top of the tree.”

Tyson’s memoir ‘Just As I Am’ was pub-lished Tuesday.

The actress had her Hollywood breakin the 1959 Harry Belafonte film OddsAgainst Tomorrow, and followed it withfilms like The Comedians, The Last AngryMan, A Man Called Adam and The HeartIs a Lonely Hunter.

Tyson received an Oscar nominationin 1973 for Martin Ritt’s drama Sounderand an Honorary Oscar in 2018.

She is also known for featuring inMiss Jane Pittman, Roots, The WilmaRudolph Story, King: The Martin LutherKing Story, When No One Would Listen,A Woman Called Moses, The Marva CollinsStory, The Women Of Brewster Place,The Oldest Living Confederate WidowTells All and the TV adaptation of TripTo Bountiful.

Throughout her career, Tyson refusedto play drug addicts, prostitutes or maids

as she thought it demeaned and stereo-typed Black women. The actress was oneof 25 Black women honoured for their con-tribution to art, entertainment and civilrights as part of Oprah Winfrey’s 2005Legends Ball.

Several Hollywood stars mourned herdemise.

Actress Viola Davis, who co-starredwith Tyson in How To Get Away WithMurder, shared a long note: “I’m dev-astated. My heart is just broken. I lovedyou so much!! You were everything to me!You made me feel loved and seen and val-ued in a world where there is still a cloakof invisibility for us dark chocolate girls.You gave me permission to dream.”

“Because it was only in my dreams thatI could see the possibilities in myself. I’mnot ready for you to be my angel yet.

But…I also understand that it’s onlywhen the last person who has a memoryof you dies, that you'll truly be dead. Inthat case, you will be immortal. Thankyou for shifting my life. Thank you forthe long talks. Thank you for loving me.Rest well,”Davis added.

Oprah Winfrey posted: “Of all thetimes and experiences we shared to-gether, this was one of my favorites ..What a joy to honor her and feel herreceive it! I loved her hat so much, shesent it to me afterwards. Cicely de-cided early on that her work as anactor would be more than a job. Sheused her career to illuminate the hu-manity of Black people. The roles sheplayed reflected her values; she nevercompromised. Her life so fully lived isa testimony to Greatness.” IANS

HOLLYWOOD ICON CICELY TYSON NO MORE

Mumbai: Actress Kajal Aggarwal returns to thescreens post marriage with the horror series,Live Telecast, which marks her debut in theOTT space. The trailer of the show was launchedFriday, and the show itself drops February 12.

“As an actor, I am constantly looking forroles that challenge me and take me out ofmy comfort zone. Live Telecast did justthat,” Kajal said.

“My character Jenny, a director by pro-fession, is a strong and independent womanwhose single minded goal is to make asuccessful TV show and, in that quest,she finds herself locked in a huge housewith no way out. Audiences who lovehorror stories and otherwise are goingto love this show,” she added.

The seven-episode Tamil series hasbeen directed by Venkat Prabhu, and alsostars Vaibhav Reddy, Kayal Anandhi,Priyanka, Selva, Daniel Annie Pope,and Subbu Panchu Arunachalam.

The series narrates the story of aTV crew adamant on creating asuperhit show, who come torealise that they are trappedin a house controlled bysupernatural powers.Their tryst with the su-pernatural is live for mil-lions to watch.

Prabhu is also makinghis digital debut as writerand director., and he says“Live Telecast has been adream project which Iwanted to do as my firstfilm.”

“This ismy fresh at-tempt at sto-rytelling for a digital plat-form, and the entire experienceof transforming this film script

to series has been a massive journey,” saidPrabhu. He added: “Horror is a speculativegenre. It feeds on the heightened sense of the un-

known and one has to balancebetween moments of si-

lence and spook. I believeI delivered the story in

my style which has agood combination ofhorror, thrill andmystery; and willkeep the audiencegripped till thevery end.”

Live Telecastwill release onDisney+ HotstarVIP a n dPremium.

IANS

Mumbai: Noted theatreactor and director ArvindJoshi has breathed hislast. He passed away re-portedly at NanavatiHospital in the city Fridaymorning.

Arvind Joshi is the fa-ther of Bollywood actorShar man Joshi, andthough he is mostly knownfor his performances onstage, he had also appearedin a few Bollywood filmsincluding Sholay and Ittefaq.

Veteran actor Paresh

Rawal offered his condo-lences to the Joshi family,calling Arvind Joshi’s deathan ‘irreparable loss to Indiantheatre’.

“Irreparable loss to Indiantheatre; with grief we saygoodbye to the noted actorShri Arvind Joshi. A stal-wart, a versatile actor, anaccomplished thespian, arethe words that come to mindwhen I think of his per-formances. My condolencesto @TheSharmanJoshi &family. AUM SHANTI,”Paresh Rawal tweeted.

Trade analyst KomalNahta tweeted: “Veteranand respected actor-direc-tor of Gujarati theatre,

Arvind Joshi, passes away.Condolences to sonSharman Joshi, daughterMansi Joshi Roy, and entirefamily.”

“V sad to hear about saddemise of Shree ArvindJoshi Ji ..My heartiest con-dolences to@TheSharmanJoshi n en-tire family .. RIP,” wrotefilmmaker Anil Sharma.

Arvind Joshi is survivedby his wife, son SharmanJoshi and daughter MansiJoshi Roy. IANS

Actor Arvind Joshi passes away

KAJAL ALL SET TO MAKEHER DIGITAL DEBUT

Bhumi shoots for Badhaai Do at 0°C

P3

downtown

cmyk

cmyk

SATURDAY | JANUARY 30 | 2021 | BHUBANESWARHANDLOOM EXPO

People check out saris at thenational-level handloom expoorganised by Boyanika atExhibition Ground inBhubaneswar, Friday

INFECTED RECOVERED DEAD

World 10,21,60,181 7,40,10,011 22,03,519

India 1,07,20,971 1,03,93,162 1,54,047

Odisha 3,34,850 3,31,824 1,906

COVID-19 TRACKER

WEATHERBHUB

30.2° 29.2°CTK

14.0°MAX

MINTE

MP

Humidity 47% 55%Rainfall Nil Nil

Forecast

Light rainlikely

15.6°

INDEX VARIATION

SENSEX 46285.77 588.59

NIFTY 13634.60 182.90

DOLLAR 73.44 `0.13

EURO 88.33 `0.01

GOLD `49,395 `771

SILVER `71,051 `3,456BULL

ION

BOU

RSES

CU

RREN

CY

MARKET WATCH

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: In a bid toattract more investments, the stategovernment has decided to trans-form its Single Window ClearanceAuthority (SWCA) system to thenext level.

This was revealed at a high-levelmeeting held under the chair-manship of Chief Secretary SureshChandra Mahapatra, Friday.

Mahapatra asked the Industriesdepartment to make the new versionmore comprehensive and gratifyingfor the investors with end-to-endsystem from receipt of applicationto delivery of all services.

He made it clear that the investorsshould not be asked to run to anyoffice physically for getting anyclearance. He also directed all thedepartments concerned to desig-nate a nodal officer for coordinat-ing with Industrial Promotion &Investment Corporation of Odisha(IPICOL) in development of thenew online version.

Further, Mahapatra directed torevamp the district-level single win-dow authorities with more profes-sionalism and accountability. Headvised to put in place a district-levelindustry facilitation authority with

enhanced role of district Collectors. He also asked to include the pro-

motional activities of MSME, hand-looms, handicrafts, textiles andmanufacturing units with districtindustries centres (DICs). The per-sonnel in DICs were directed tohandhold the entrepreneurs in get-ting various approvals and certifi-cates from different offices.

Industries secretary HemantSharma said the new version ofthe SWCA would be more compre-hensive covering all phases of ac-tivities required up to starting of pro-

duction in an industry viz. in prin-ciple approval, land allotment, landpossession, approval for startingthe construction and approval forcommencing the operations.

“Defeating the adversities ofCovid-19 pandemic, the state hasattracted investments of around Rs1.25 lakh crore since February 2020.Odisha has also become No-1 in im-plementation of the investmentprojects during last quarter of 2020even on the face of the peak time ofpandemic infection” Sharma said.

The investors would submit ap-

plications at one go through GO-SWIFT portal. It would have sin-gle payment gateway for differentkinds of fees and government dues.

The managing director of IPI-COL, Nitin Bhanudas Jawale, said,“The new version will have an inbuiltsystem of ‘deemed approval’ after ex-piry of the maximum time limit forrequested service or approval.”

The Chief Secretary directedthe officials to complete develop-ment of the portal in all aspectsalong with its dry run by end ofMarch.

State to revamp Single Window Clearance Authority CHIEF SECY MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THE INVESTORS SHOULD NOT BE ASKED TO RUN TO ANY OFFICE FOR OBTAINING CLEARANCES

Deadline set for 23investment projectsReviewing the progress made

on execution of 23 biginvestment projects, ChiefSecretary SC Mahapatra settimelines for each phase ofactivity and asked departmentsconcerned to adhere to thetimeline scrupulously. He alsodirected the project investors andproject proponents to mobilisemore man and machine for earlycompletion of the constructionworks. The advancement andbottlenecks of the projects inKeonjhar, Sundargarh,Mayurbhanj and Jajpur districtswere reviewed. Investors andproject proponents placed theirproblems too. Issues relating toadvance possession ofgovernment land, operation oftruck unloading station atDubuna, issue of NOC underForest Rights Act, roadconnectivity, water supply,allotment of non-forestgovernment land, powerconnectivity, law and ordermatters discussed at the meeting.

WOOING INVESTORSn Odisha has attracted investments

of around Rs 1.25 lakh crore sinceFebruary 2020

nThe state has become No-1 inimplementation of investmentprojects during last quarter of2020

nInvestors would submitapplications at one go throughGO-SWIFT portal

nIt would have single paymentgateway for different kinds offees and government dues

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: The17th Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsavwill be organised jointly bythe state Tourism departmentand Orissa Dance Academy(ODA) from February 6 to 8 onthe foothills of Dhauli ShantiVihar.

Addressing a presser hereFriday, renowned Odissidancer Padma Shri ArunaMohanty, secretary of ODA,said that nearly 300 artistesfrom different dance formssuch as Odissi, Kathak,Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi,Purulia Chhau, MayurbhanjChhau, Seraikella Chhau andothers will participate in thecultural extravaganza.

This apart, two categoriesof awards will also be given tothe artistes on the occasion.The first award, BuddhaSamman, which has been in-stituted by ODA for the last 14years, will be given to OdissiVocal Exponent GopalChandra Panda. He will re-ceive the cash award of Rs 1

lakh along with a citation anda shawl.

The second category ofaward, Guru GangadharPradhan Smruti Samman,

which was instituted in thememory of academy founderGuru Gangadhar Pradhan in2016, will be given to four per-sonalities of different fields.

They are: Karnatic veenaplayer K Rama Rao Patro,Odissi dancer SnehapravaSamantray, dance criticShyamahari Chakra andposthumously to LateTarakanta Panda sound de-signer and music arranger.They will receive cash awardof Rs 25,000 each along with ci-tation and shawls.

Dhauli Mahotsav is cele-brated in February every yearwith a motto of permeating thegospel of peace through theconcept of concerts of clas-sical and folk dance and musicof India by synthesizing thequintessence of religions andfaiths.

Likewise, Kaling aMahotsav will send the mes-sage of peace through martialarts which would be repre-sented by artistes from acrossthe country.

“Limited number of audi-ences will be allowed to thefestival owing to Covid-19 pro-tocol and sanitisation of thepremises will be ensured,”said Mohanty.

17TH DHAULI-KALINGA MAHOTSAV

300 artistes to showcase danceskills on the foothills of Dhauli

BuddhaSamman,

instituted byODA, will be

given to Odissi Vocal

ExponentGopal Chandra

Panda

Guru Gangadhar Pradhan Smruti Samman, which wasinstituted in the memory of academy founder GuruGangadhar Pradhan in 2016, will be given to four personalities of different fields

Dhauli Mahotsav is celebrated in February every yearwith a motto of permeating the gospel of peacethrough the concept of concerts of classical and folkdance and music of India by synthesizing the quintessence of religions and faiths

POST NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi, Jan 29: The SupremeCourt, Friday, asked the Odishagovernment to file an additional af-fidavit regarding the pendingpenalty on Narayani Sons Ltd, amining company, for violation of en-vironment norms and mining with-out consent to operate.

A three-judge bench of the apexcourt headed by Chief Justice SABobde and comprising justices ASBopanna and V Ramasubramanianasked Odisha to file an affidavitin three weeks.

During the hearing, the coun-sel appearing for the lessee, NSNandkarni, submitted to the courtthat he had paid all the dues alongwith interest to the state govern-ment for alleged environmentalclearance violations and urged thecourt to grant him permission tolift and sell the extracted ore.

However, the counsel for Odisha,Kirti Mishra, submitted that the les-see hasn’t paid all the dues. Mishrasought time from the court to filean affidavit giving details of the duespending on the lessee.

Meanwhile, advocate PrashantBhushan opposed the prayer ofthe lessee to lift extracted ore cit-ing that its lease licence had ex-pired in 2010.

However, the lessee’s counselreferred to an affidavit filed bythe state government in the apexcourt and said that the lease ofNarayani Sons Ltd was extendedtill March 2020.

It is pertinent to mentionhere that the Supreme Courthad imposed huge penalty onthe mining firm for carryingout mining operations in Odishawithout obtaining environ-mental clearance.

SC seeks report onpending penaltywith mining firm

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29:Cracking whip on corrupt andinefficient officials, the stategovernment Friday gave com-pulsorily retirement to nineofficials with immediate effect.

Of the nine officials, sevenhave been terminated on cor-

ruption charges while two oth-ers have been removed for theirinefficiency in delivering serv-ices. With this, a total of 113government servants have sofar been given compulsory re-tirement in the state.

Sources said two mines de-partment officials, one forest of-ficial and one assistant engineer

of Public Health EngineeringOrganisation (PHEO) wereasked to retire Friday. Five of-ficials were given compulsoryretirement a few days ago, of-ficial sources said.

The tainted officials includedmines deputy director MadanMohan Biswal, mining officerRamesh Chandra Mahalik, for-

est range officer Prashant KumarNayak, PHEO assistant engi-neer Narayan Pradhan, ACFLaxman Kumar Pradhan, forestrange officer Bharat KumarGhadei, Labour officer PradeepKumar Bhoi, joint labour com-missioner Sarat KumarChoudhury and divisional labourcommissioner Namita Das.

9 officials given compulsory retirement Odisha jumps fournotches in policing

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: Odisha police se-cured the third place in terms of policingin the recently released India Justice Reportfor 2020. The report has been preparedjointly by various leading legal and humanrights think tanks of India.

Odisha had held the seventh spot in polic-ing in the India Justice Report for 2019.Now, it jumped to 3rd spot in the current re-port which was released Thursday.

The report revealed that the state policeforce showed significant development infiling up vacancies in lower ranks, increasedthe number of women in force.

“Odisha’s four-spot jump to third placein police ranking is the result of the state’sefforts to improve deficits in the policing ca-pacity since 2017. It has made efforts to im-

prove not only the caste diversity amongstofficers but has also increased the pres-ence of women personnel (9 per cent to 10per cent) and the share of women officers(8 per cent to 11 per cent),” reports the IJR2020.

The report also stated that the state po-lice have showed a decrease in constable va-cancies over a five-year period (2015–2019).However, the report indicated an ‘increasein vacancies at the officer level’.

The state police force also managed to ‘uti-lize only 10 per cent of its ModernisationFund, over 40 percentage points less thanin 2017.’

Expressing happiness over the ranking,DGP Abhay tweeted, “Very happy to notethat Odisha has been ranked third in Policingamong 18 Large and midsized states rankedby prestigious "India Justice Report 2020."

State ready forgreener fuelBhubaneswar: The Uniongovernment’s plan to mix ethanolwith petrol has now come tofruition as the Boudh DistilleryFriday dispatched its first ethanolsupply to the Indian OilCorporation Limited. Thegovernment has been aiming for10 per cent blending target by2022 which is 400 crore litres and20 per cent by 2025. The plantFriday dispatched 25,000 litres ofethanol for blending with petrol.

Dignitaries including Odissi exponents Ileana Citaristi (L) and Aruna Mohanty address the media, Friday OP PHOTO

n Odisha had held the seventh spot in policing in the India Justice Report for 2019

n Now, it jumped to 3rd spot in thecurrent report which was releasedThursday

n The report revealed that the statepolice force showed significantdevelopment in filing up vacanciesin lower ranks, increased thenumber of women in force

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: Keepingin view the challenges of the mod-ern society pertaining to marital dis-putes, a premarital counselling cen-tre, ‘Together Forever’, was launchedby the Institute for SocialDevelopment (ISD) at LohiaAcademy in Unit-IX here, Friday.

The centre is a first-of-its-kindinitiative in Odisha, sources said.

“The sole purpose of this ini-tiative is to prepare prospectivecouples and their families to enterinto a sacrament which lasts forever.Various support services includ-ing counselling, legal assistance,sexual behaviour counselling willbe provided systematically to makesure that matrimonial life is safe andprotected,” said ISD directorSubhashree Das.

Initially, the counselling centrewould operate in Bhubaneswar and

Cuttack in association with Legalservice Institute- CLAP and SangeetaMediation Centre respectively, Dasadded.

In order to curb gender-based vi-olence, the ISD has already estab-lished Maadhyam Women SupportCentre in Bhubaneswar-CuttackCommissionerate Police and SAKHI-One Stop Centre at SCB Medical

College and Hospital in Cuttack.In addition to this, ‘Together Forever’will prepare couples and their fam-ilies for a happy married life, Dassaid.

The recent marital discord be-tween Odia actress VarshaPriyadarshini and Lok Sabha mem-ber Anubhav Mohanty shows thematrimonial disputes are not con-

fined to any particular communityor strata in society, said some experts.

The matrimonial disputes usuallyinvolve emotions, feelings, ego, andpsychological reasons.

“It is very difficult to predict thenature and behaviour of humanbeings. We all have the tendencyof assuming that what we are doingand thinking is correct. We pre-

tend to be good listener but we arelistening to counter others to scorea goal to boost our inflated ego. Weare not listening to understand oth-ers’ point of views, which may helpus in resolving issues. Why don’t weaccept that we are imperfect in na-ture?” Das said.

“Relationship can work morepositively if we understand the per-ceptions of our spouses. Sometimeswe ignore such basic things,” Dasadded.

downtownSATURDAY | JANUARY 30 | 2021 | BHUBANESWARP4

cmyk

cmyk

Premarital counselling centre opens in CityFOREVER’

‘TOGETHER

ANIMAL MASK DANCE

Artistes from Ganjam perform animal mask dance under the Horizon Series of ICCR at Guru Kelu Charan MohapatraOdissi Research Centre in Bhubaneswar, Friday OP PHOTO

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: TheNational Green Tribunal (NGT)has asked the state government toexamine the allegations of illegalsand mining in Jaleswar area ofBalasore district and submit a re-port within two months.

The development follows a pe-tition filed in the tribunal seekingits intervention in the alleged illegalsand mining activities alongSubarnarekha river under Jaleswartehsil in Balasore.

The NGT has asked the stategovernment to form a special paneland examine the issue before filinga report within two months. The tri-bunal in its written order has alsomade CPCB, SEIAA and SPCB asparties to the panel.

“Let a joint Committee of fourmembers, comprising CentralPollution Control Board (CPCB),State Pollution Control Board(SPCB), State Level EnvironmentImpact Assessment Authority(SEIAA), Odisha and DistrictMagistrate, Balasore, look intothe grievance in the applicationand furnish a report to thisTribunal within two months,” the

order said.It also added, “SEIAA, Odisha will

be the nodal agency for coordina-tion and compliance. Based on theobservations of the Committee,the concerned statutory authoritiesmay take appropriate action in ac-cordance with law, following dueprocess.”

The original petition had claimedthat sand mining alongSubarnarekha river was in viola-tion of the Environment ProtectionAct, 1986. Several norms of sandmining were also found to be floutedin the case. The petitioner had de-manded early hearing of the caseand intervention of NGT. The casewas heard by a three-judge benchheaded by Justice Adarsh Goelwhile Justice Sheo Kumar Singhjoined the bench as the judicialbench while Dr Nagin Nanda wasin the bench as expert member.

DMs told to augment vaccine coveragePOST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: The stategovernment has asked the Collectorsof low performing districts in termsof Covid-19 vaccination to person-ally intervene to increase the num-ber of health workers turning upfor the inoculation drive.

According to data available withthe state Health department, severaldistricts have reported below 70per cent coverage while a few dis-tricts like Deogarh have reportedbelow 50 per cent.

In a communication to all theCollectors, the department hasasked them to personally interveneand take adequate steps to increasethe coverage of the vaccines intheir jurisdiction. The communi-cation was also sent to the MunicipalCommissioners of the Urban Local

Bodies.“All Collectors and Municipal

Commissioners are aware that thefirst dose vaccination of all health-care workers will close on February10. In this matter, it is of great con-cern that in some districts the per-centage coverage of health workers

vaccinated in the past week (achieve-ment against target) is poor,” the let-ter to the Collectors read.

The communication said that allCollectors should take steps to en-sure 100 per cent vaccination of allhealth workers by February 10.

“Clear message should be given

that those who do not turn up forvaccination when called on the des-ignated dates will forgo the oppor-tunity to get free vaccination fromthe government,” said the letterfrom the de par tment to theCollectors.

As per the data, Deogarh districtreported the least coverage of 42 percent while Khurda reported 61 percent coverage. Jajpur district too re-ported only 62 per cent coverage.

BOX: 71% vaccination target cov-erage today

The Health department Fridaysaid the state achieved 71 per centCovid-19 vaccination coverage acrossthe state. Out of the 15,701 vacci-nation target set by the govern-ment, the government saw partic-ipation of 11,142 persons. Thegovernment also reported one minoradverse effect case.

Master plan soon for Odisha Economic Corridor

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: With aview to strengthening sanitationand improve solid waste manage-ment in Capital city, theBhubaneswar MunicipalCorporation (BMC) has engaged 20more sanitary inspectors for 67wards.

The sanitary inspectors ap-pointed through an agency on con-tractual basis are said to have doneprofessional course in sanitary in-spection. With this, the strength of

sanitary inspectors has increasedfrom 14 to 34. The SIs will now beinvolved in regular field inspec-tions after orientation-cum-train-ing programme which was or-ganised by the BMC, Thursday.

“As the city’s population hascrossed 9 lakh and the numberof wards increased from 47 to 67,we had requested the state gov-ernment to increase the sanc-tioned strength of sanitary in-spectors to streamline the work.The newly appointed inspectorswill also be involved in draincleaning, street light inspections,maintenance of parks and cre-matoriums among others,” said aBMC official.

Sources have also mentionedthat additional manpower has beenbrought to check the rising casesof adulterated food and other ed-ible products. The civic authorityabout a week ago had fined seveneateries in the state capital formaking food under unhygienicconditions and had also destroyedabout 60 kg of stale food.

Similarly, a series of raids con-ducted in the twin cities had foundmore than dozen fake food manu-facturing units selling spuriousghee, paneer, oil, dal and other

items. The large-scale discoveryof fake food item manufacturingunits and rampant circulation ofthe spurious articles in the markethad raised doubts over civic au-thorities monitoring over qualitycontrol.

“Recruitment of additionalmanpower has been done largelyto counter the compromise onfood quality and ensure qualityin other services. The inspec-tors will also supervise and pre-p a r e c a s e s u n d e r Fo o dAdulteration Act against the of-fenders. The additional staff willcertainly help in covering thevast areas in the state capital,”the source mentioned.

FIGHTING PANDEMICThecommunicationsaid that allCollectors shouldtake steps toensure 100 percent vaccination ofall health workersby February 10

Several districts have

reported below70 per cent

coverage while afew districts like

Deogarh havereported below

50 per cent

THE DEPARTMENT HAS ASKED THE COLLECTORS TO PERSONALLYINTERVENE AND TAKE ADEQUATE STEPS TO INCREASE THE COVERAGE OF

THE VACCINES IN THEIR JURISDICTION

POST NEWS NETWORK

Puri, Jan 29: The inordinate delayin performance of Suna Besha rit-ual at Srimandir here Thursdayhas triggered a tug of war betweenthe Shree Jagannath TempleAdministration (SJTA) and theservitors of the 12th century shrine.

The temple administration hasclaimed that a dispute betweenSinghari Puspalak and BhandarMekap servitors led to the ritualdelay while many servitors blamedthe SJTA for its alleged misman-agement.

Srijagannath Sebayat Sammilani,an outfit of Srimandir servitors,Friday alleged that the SJTA did nottake prompt action to resolve thedispute between Singhari Puspalakand Bhandar Mekap servitors.There was a dispute betweenSinghari Puspalak and BhandarMekap servitors during theNagarjuna Besha (warrior attire)ritual of Lord Jagannath inNovember last year. “The reason ofthe dispute was the presence ofexcess number of Singhari servi-tors on the Ratnabedi (bejeweledthrone). The SJTA was quite aware

of the dispute but it did not take anystep to solve the issue. The twogroups of servitors were in a tus-sle over the same issue againThursday,” said the outfit.

Senior Daitapati servitor BinayakDas Mahapatra too blamed theSJTA for the Suna Besha ritualdelay. “The dispute between Singhariand Bhandar Mekap servitors isnothing new. The dispute was re-ported during Nagarjuna Besha.But, the SJTA did not take any stepto resolve it,” Das Mahapatra said.

The senior Daitapati servitor

also claimed that many devoteescould not witness Suna Besha(golden attire) due to the delay.Besides, Mahaprasad, the Srimandirdelicacy, could not be made avail-able for the devotees on time dueto the inordinate delay. “The Suar-Mahasuar servitors incurred hugelosses as large amount ofMahaprasad remained unsold,”he said.

Notably, The Suna Besha ritualof Lord Jagannath and his sib-lings was reportedly delayed foraround five hours Thursday.

“The Sakala Dhoopa ritual ofthe presiding deities was completedby 9.40am Thursday. It was ex-pected that the Suna Besha ritualwould be performed by 11:30am.However, the ritual was performedat 5pm due to some dispute be-tween two groups of servitors,”said a source in temple adminis-tration.

SJTA chief administratorKrishan Kumar had said that thetemple authorities would seek re-ports from the two groups of servi-tors on the ritual delay and take nec-essary steps to solve the issuepermanently.

BLAME GAME OVER SUNABESHA RITUAL DELAY

Shot in the arm forBMC sanitary wing

NGT seeks report on sandmining in Subarnarekha

NUGGETSADDITIONALMANPOWERHAS BEENENGAGED TOCHECK THERISING CASES OFADULTERATED FOOD ANDOTHEREDIBLEPRODUCTS

THE CIVIC AUTHORITY ABOUT A WEEK AGO HAD FINED 7 EATERIESIN THE STATE CAPITAL FOR MAKING FOOD UNDER UNHYGIENIC

CONDITIONS AND HAD ALSO DESTROYED ABOUT 60 KG OF STALE FOOD

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: A processhas been initiated for preparationof a master plan for the proposedOdisha Economic Corridor (OEC)along NH-16 in the state.

The National Industrial CorridorDevelopment and ImplementationTrust (NICDIT) under the Ministryof Commerce and Industry has al-ready floated tender for engage-ment of engineering consultantfor preparing the master plan, of-ficial sources said.

“The Odisha economic corridorwill be developed as one of thelargest industrial corridor of thecountry. Discussion is going on to

give complete shape to project,”said Industries Minister DibyaShankar Mishra here Friday.

The project is envisaged as thethird phase of East Coast EconomicCorridor (ECEC) which links upwith and continues theVisakhapatnam-Chennai IndustrialCorridor (VCIC) and the Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor.The project will be developed, im-plemented and maintained by anSPV, which will be formed betweenNICDIT and Odisha IndustrialInfrastructure DevelopmentCorporation (IDCO).

As per sources, the governmenthas planned to invest Rs 6,505 crorefor development of the corridor, of

which Rs 2,064 crore will be used forland acquisition while infrastruc-ture cost will be Rs 4,441 crore.

There are two nodes of the proj-ect. Gopalpur, BhubaneswarKalinganagar (GBK) comprisingthe districts Ganjam, Khurda,Cuttack and Jajpur is coming undernode-1 while Paradip – Kendrapada– Dhamra – Subarnarekha (PKDS)comprising the districtsJagatsinghpur, Kendrapada,Bhadrak, and Balasore will be de-veloped under node-2.

The government has identified16,712 acres of land for the project.In Phase-1 development, 11,365 acrewill be developed in both the nodes,the source said.

Explanation soughton bizarre EIC orderPOST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: State gov-ernment has sought explanationfrom Engineer-in-Chief (EIC),Civil on the order issued by the lat-ter asking women staffers to leaveoffice by 5:30pm on working days.Works department additional sec-retary has written a letter to EIC(Civil) in this regard, Friday.

The department asked the EICto submit a written explanation asto why such an office order was is-sued. The department has con-ducted an inquiry by the deputy sec-retary-cum-presiding officer ofthe Internal Complaints Committeeon Sexual Harassment of Womenat Workplace (Prevention,Prohibition & Redressal) Friday.The deputy secretary has inter-acted with officers/staff of theEIC office on the above matter.

Planetariums toreopen February 2POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: Goodnews for science and planetariumenthusiasts. The state governmenthas allowed the Pathani SamantaPlanetarium in Bhubaneswar,APJ Abdul Kalam Planetariumin Burla and Pathani SamantaPlanetarium of Khandapada inNayagarh to reopen February 2, incompliance with Covid-19 norms.

Director of Pathani SamantaPlanetarium Laxmidhar Das saidthe planetariums are directed toopen for people on all the weekdays except for Monday and notmore than 50 people would be allowed to watch the shows.

INDIAN INSTITUTE OFLAW ON THE CARDSPOST NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi, Jan 29: The BarCouncil of India Friday announcedthat it would establish the IndianInstitute of Law (IIL) inBhubaneswar in collaborationwith and suppor t of KIITUniversity.

The BCI Trust has entered intoan MoU with KIIT and accord-ingly KIIT has provided requisiteland at the prime location ofBhubaneswar (Patia).

This apart, KIIT will also bear40 per cent of the cost of the in-frastructure of the proposed cam-pus of 1.5 lakh sq feet area.

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: All stategover nment of fices inBhubaneswar and Cuttack willfunction with full strength from February 1, GeneralAdministration & Public Grievancedepartment said an order, Friday.

In view of Covid-19 pandemic,the government offices in the twincities excluding offices providingemergency services were func-tioning with 75 per cent capacity.

In case any department or officeis constrained in maintainingphysical distancing among staffmembers as a result of full at-tendance, they may regulate thestaff strength, as felt necessary.

However, all state governmentoffices throughout the state willcontinue to remain closed onSaturdays in February.

Govt offices torun with fullstrength

Guests at the inaugural occasion of ‘Together Forever’ at Lohia Academy in Bhubaneswar, Friday OP PHOTO

The centre would operatein Bhubaneswar andCuttack in associationwith Legal serviceInstitute- CLAP andSangeeta MediationCentre respectively

stateSATURDAY | JANUARY 30 | 2021 | BHUBANESWARP5

cmyk

cmyk

POST NEWS NETWORK

Khandapada, Jan 29: The famousNilamadhav temple, a very old andfamous Vishnu temple situated atoptwin hills on the banks of theMahanadi at Kantilo in Nayagarhdistrict is visited by hundreds ofdevotees every day.

The deity is revered by devoteeswho throng it round the year towitness the permanent flow of holywater from the feet of LordNilamadhava. Lord Siddheswarpresent in the shrine is anotherhighlight of the place.

The deity occupies a central po-sition in the Jagannath cult. Manyof the tourists being senior citi-zens and disabled find it hard toclimb the hill for which it was de-cided to construct a ropeway.However, the proposal is buriedunder red-tape.

Former MLA Anubhav Patnaikhad stressed construction of a rope-way to the shrine in 2014. Later,concerned officials conducted asurvey to implement the project in2016. Since then, years have passedbut the project is yet to be imple-mented. This has sparked resent-

ment among visiting tourists anddevotees. Sources said theNilamadhav temple is known asthe original shrine of Jagannath cul-ture and is situated atop Brahmadriand Padmadri hills. The temple issurrounded by four gates namelylions’ gate on east, tigers’ gate inwest, elephants’ gate in north andhorses’ gate in south. The road toeach gate has a flight of 54 steps.

The need for construction of a

ropeway arose when former MLAAnubhav Patnaik accompanied byJanaki Ballav Mohapatra, chief en-gineer, state water resources de-partment visited the temple for dar-shan of the deity, November 13, 2014.

Patnaik realized the difficultyin climbing 54 steps to the templeand stressed installation of a rope-way as has been done in variousshrines in Uttar Pradesh andUttarakhand.

Later, on the advice of the chiefengineer, Lingaraj Associate, a pri-vate firm, conducted a survey for theproject, March 1, 2016. The firmwas advised to install a ropewayof 175 mtrs in length from the foothillon the west to the hilltop. A pre-liminary estimate pegged the ex-penditure at `3 to `4 crore for in-stallation of the ropeway.

The survey report was submittedto the District Collector. Later a de-

tailed project report and drawing de-sign were submitted to the stategovernment. However, it never be-come a reality Khandapara MLASoumya Ranjan Patnaik said a spe-cial project will be implementedfor development of the Nilamadhav.

Ropeway project for Nilamadhav shrine under red-tape The need for construction of a rope-

way arose when former MLAAnubhav Patnaik accompanied byJanaki Ballav Mohapatra, chief engi-neer, state water resources depart-ment visited the temple for darshan ofthe deity, November 13, 2014.

Patnaik realized the difficulty inclimbing 54 steps to the temple and

stressed installation of a ropeway ashas been done in various shrines inUttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Later,on the advice of the chief engineer,Lingaraj Associate, a private firm, con-ducted a survey for the project, March1, 2016

The survey report was submitted to the District Collector. Later a detailed project report and drawing design were submitted tothe state government. The project work was to start after sanction of the funds.

POST NEWS NETWORK

Jajpur, Jan 29: Odisha StateCommission for Women (SCW)chairperson Minati Behera visitedthe spot under Kukhia police lim-its in Jajpur where college studentJharafula Nayak’s body was founddumped.

Notably, two bike-borne youthswere seen in a CCTV footage car-rying her body January 26. Sheheld discussions with Jajpur SP,Rahul PR at a meeting in the col-lectorate about the investigationinto the alleged murder of the col-lege student. Behera has laid stresson intensifying the investigationinto the matter and stern actionagainst the accused.

The SCW chairperson observedthat the commission had been work-ing on resolving violence againstwomen and in the matter of do-mestic violence.

Speaking on the occasion, theSP appreciated the work of theSCW. He assured that police hadbeen extending support to the SCWin resolving issues related to women.

The SCW’s visit to Jajpur camea day after the prime suspect wasarrested by the Jajpur police in co-ordination with the Airfield Field

police in Bhubaneswar. The arrestfollowed the FIR lodged by the de-ceased’s father and the CCTV footagethat has captured the movementof the two suspects with the girlon a bike.

Meanwhile, Jajpur police in-tensified investigation followingthe arrest of prime suspect RakeshSwain. However, the exact rea-son behind the mysterious deathor alleged murder is yet to be as-certained.

The main accused in the death ofRamadevi Women’s University Plus-III third year student JharaphulaNayak has confessed that he was in

a relationship with the deceased.During his interrogation at the po-lice station, accused Rakesh Swainsaid that he was in love with the girl.Rakesh said that he had metJharaphula at Jashipur village inMayurbhanj district. Jharaphulawas staying in her residence due tothe COVID-19 induced lockdownwhile Rakesh was engaged in the lay-ing of underground pipes duringthat period in the same village.

After lockdown restrictions werelifted, Jharapula used to meetRakesh whenever she visited thestate capital. Both used to hang outfor prolonged periods.

Rakesh was arrested Thursdaynight by a special squad ofCommissionerate Police from aplace in Sundarpada locality. Initially,he was detained as a suspect, but dur-ing interrogation he gave somevital information after which policearrested him.

Rakesh told the police thatJharaphula had boarded a bus to goto Jashipur from Jaydev Vihar.However, she got down at VaniVihar Square and from there walkedto Rupali Chowk where Rakeshwas waiting for her on a two-wheeler.

The two then checked into ahotel for the night and Rakesh toldthe police they got intimate. Latein the night according to Rakesh,he woke up and found Jharaphulaunconscious. He said he panickedand called up his friend Shekharto help him out. Rakesh said thatwhen they took Jharaphula outwith them on the two-wheeler shewas still unconscious. Midwaythrough the journey, the two re-alised that the girl had died and thenthey dumped her body nearKuakhia in Jajpur district.

Police have launched a hunt to lo-cate Shekhar. They are also tryingto ascertain the exact time ofJharaphula’s death.

SCW chief for intensifying probe

A thick layer of fog hangs over Daringbadi Friday OP PHOTO

POST NEWS NETWORK

Jajpur, Jan 29: After a lull, illegalquarrying of black stone has re-sumed in Dankari hill underDharmasala tehsil in this districtdue to lack of action from the dis-trict administration, a report said.

The matter came to the fore afterrevenue inspector Manoj Samalfiled a report alleging resumptionof black stone quarrying in the hilla few months back. In his report,Samal alleged Rabi Das of Dankarivil lage, Kuna Prusty ofChadheidhara vil lage andSwaroopananda Das of NajichowkiChhack in Dhenkanal district areillegally extracting black stonesand transporting it for sale to var-ious locations.

Reports said Dharmasala tehsil-dar on the basis of a report on illegalblack stone quarrying by the rev-enue inspector had advised Jenapurpolice to initiate legal action againstthree persons for the wrongdoingDecember 21, last year. However,Jenapur police are yet to take actionagainst the wrongdoers although amonth has passed. The tehsildarhas stopped taking follow-up ac-tion which has emboldened theminers.

Reports claimed attempts arebeing made to hush up the matter.Illegal quarrying of black stonefrom the Dankari hill dates back to2002 when miners had illegally ex-tracted large quantities of blackstone from the hills sans environ-mental clearance.

The then Dharmasala tehsildarissued a demand notice of`58,62,79,633 to the miners askingthem to deposit the money in gov-ernment exchequer towards min-eral loot. Directed by the DistrictCollector, the tehsildar in a letter(1878, dated- May 28, 2016) askedleaseholder Sribatsha Jena to depositthe money.

Then Collector Satya KumarMallick in a letter (5547, dated-December 3, 2015) also directed thedeputy director, mines, Jajpur Roadto form a special team comprisingrevenue and mines officials andmake an assessment of the actualrevenue loss and other losses tothe government.

The team visited the hill site inthe second week of January, 2016.The mines department submittedits report to the Collector.

The report said around 73,38,022.50cubic meter of area on the hill hasbeen excavated for quarrying ofblack stones. Reports said Jena hadextracted black stones from the hill

from the period starting fromNovember 2002 till 2015. Duringthis period, Jena had depositedonly `6, 64,89, 908 cr as revenue to-wards extraction of black stones tothe tune of 14,15,996 cubic meter onthe hill.

He had evaded depositing rev-enue on the rest of 59,22,0165 cubicmeter of area on the hill from whichhe had extracted black stones. Themines department had estimatedthat Jena had defrauded the stateexchequer of ̀ 58,62,79,633 cr if ̀ 99is the revenue per cubic meter.

The matter is sub-judice. Sincethen, 17 tehsildars have been ap-pointed in the Dharmasala tehsil butnone has cared to recover the rev-enue from Jena.

Later, then Jajpur Collector andprincipal secretary, revenue anddisaster management departmentpublished a notification underSection-15 of the Orissa CivilServices Act directing a probeagainst 10 revenue inspectors and10 tehsildars for conniving withthe leaseholders in the loot. However,that also failed to make progress.

When contacted, Dharmasalatehsildar Prasant Samantray saidnecessary steps will be taken inthis regard.

Admin sits on probe against errant officialsSTONE MINING AT DANKARI

POST NEWS NETWORK

Nabarangpur, Jan 29: Covid as-sistance to the tune of ̀ 56 lakh re-mained undisbursed inNabarangpur. The fund has re-turned to the government, trig-gering suspicion over a failed bidto misappropriate the fund in thename of ghost beneficiaries, a re-port said.

According to the report, `1000was provided by the Centre as as-sistance to each ration card holderafter the outbreak of Covid pan-demic.

The report said, there are 3, 16,533 ration card holders (underNFSA and SFSS) in the district.

The district was provided over`31.64 crore as financial assistance

to the ra-tion

cardholders.

The civil supplies departmenthas so far distributed `31.07 croreto beneficiaries while over ̀ 56 lakhcould not be distributed. The de-partment has returned it to the

government. Various outfits sought to know on

what basis such fund was providedby the gover nment to theNabarangpur district administration.

“How thousands of beneficiariesfailed to get their assistance. The de-partment must have received fundfrom the government by furnishingthe details of ration card holders.Now, thousands of them are reallymissing and their assistance moneywas returned,” they lamented.

They alleged that the depart-ment is under cloud over its activ-ities even as ghost beneficiarieshave been pushed into the PDS sys-tem. Their quota of items are beingmisappropriated, they rued.

Covid aid of `56L returns to govt

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: The par-ents of Pihu, a two-year-old miss-ing girl from Jajpur, Friday stageda dharna before the official resi-dence of Women & ChildDevelopment Minister TukuniSahu here. Pihu has been missingsince August 2020.

The parents of Pihu came topersonally apprise Sahu of Jajpurpolice’s lax approach towards find-ing out their missing daughter.However, they failed to meet theminister who was out of the station.

Later, they staged a sit-in beforeSahu’s residence protesting againstthe indifference of Jajpur police.Pihu’s mother told media Jajpur po-lice managed to rescue 64 missingchildren of the district in a spe-cial drive, but failed to trace Pihu.

She accused Jajpur police of lack-ing interest in the case. Later, theparents lodged a complaint at theOdisha state commission for pro-tection of child rights.

Notably, Jajpur police are yet tosucceed in tracing SubhalaxmiNayak alias Pihu, a resident ofMadhusudanpur village underBinjharpur police limits, who hasbeen missing for last six months.

Pihu’s parents stage dharnabefore Minister’s residence

POST NEWS NETWORK

Sundargarh, Jan 29: A team ofof ficials from Sundarg arhVigilance division caught the med-ical officer in charge of Hemagircommunity health centre (CHC)red-handed. The accused officialwas accepting bribe from a womanhealth worker Friday morning.

According to an official source,the medical officer was identi-fied as Sraddhakar Gadtia. Hewas arrested by the Vigilanceteam af ter being tr apped.Allegedly, he was accepting bribeof `5,000 from his subordinatestaff for setting right her two-day absentee statement.

CHC medical officercaught in Vig net

POST NEWS NETWORK

Malkangiri, Jan 29: Seven forestofficials including a ranger sus-tained multiple injuries after theywere reportedly attacked by agroup of villagers near Namkondain Malkangiri district Friday. Theattack took place when the forestofficials were on their way after res-cuing a pangolin. Three attack-ers were detained.

According to reports, a team of12 forest officials got informationthat some people were planning tosell a pangolin and a deal wasbeing finalised at the village. Theyraided a paddy yard and rescueda pangolin. However, the team wasattacked by over 20 persons wield-ing wooden logs, axe and sticks. Theinjured were admitted to the dis-trict headquarters hospital.

A case has been registered atMalkangiri police station. Threeof the attackers were detained.Further investigation is on.

7 FOREST OFFICIALSATTACKED DURING RESCUE OF PANGOLIN

POST NEWS NETWORK

Kendrapara, Jan 29: A three-year-old girl was charred to deathduring her sleep after a massivefire broke out at a paddy yardThursday night at Okilpal villageof Pattamundai under Rajnagarblock in Kendrapara district.

The mishap occurred when thegirl was sleeping with her fatherRamakant Samal, mother Kunilataand her elder sister. The otherthree suffered critical injuriesand are currently undergoingtreatment.

According to a source, the hus-band with his wife and two daugh-ters were sleeping at the yard toguard their paddy crop. Probably,a kerosene lamp kept by their bedtipped over and caused the fire.

3-yr-old charred todeath in Kendrapara,kin critical

FOGGY MORNING

JHARAFULA MURDER MYSTERY

Her mother accusedJajpur police of lacking interest in the case.Later, the parents lodgeda complaint at the OdishaState Commission for Protection of Child Rights

WORDSWORTH

power post P6

I n a major reshuffle, the Centre has transferred and posted 18 secretariesto different ministries and departments while several have been pro-moted. As is often the case, there is a story behind many of the babus in-

volved in the reshuffle.The Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) has finally got a new sec-

retary in Deepak Khandekar, who was laterally shifted to North Block fromShastri Bhavan where he was Tribal Affairs Secretary. The post had beenvacant for four months. Curiously, the government may soon have to find areplacement for Khandekar as well, since he is due to retire in seven months.There is also much whispering about who will replace ABP Pandey, who re-tires as Finance Secretary in 45 days.

Of the 18 IAS officers involved in the reshuffle, sources say that 13 wereappointed as secretaries while five were upgraded to the Special Secretaryin the rank of secretary. They include Praveen Garg, SS Sandhu, Anjali Bhawara,JN Swain and Anil Kumar Jha.

A lot of the buzz has centred around two officers who have been given plumassignments despite rumours that they had been sidelined. The first is 1988batch IAS officer Alok Kumar of theUttar Pradesh cadre who has beenshifted from his cadre state andappointed Union Power Secretary.The other is also a UP cadre officerAlok Tandon who has been namedSecretary, Ministry of Mines.

Arvind Kumar Sharma, who re-cently took VRS to plunge into the UP legislature, has been replaced in theMinistry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises by another Gujaratcadre officer BB Swain.

CUTTING IT FINEThe delay in inviting applications for the post of Managing Director of Delhi

Metro has led to speculation that incumbent Mangu Singh may get yet an-other extension on March 31, when his second extension ends.

Sources say that since Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is a joint ven-ture between the Centre and the Delhi government, the delay in starting theprocedure could be because the two governments are unable to decide howto proceed in the matter. Normally, the process is initiated and completedby the state government with the concurrence of the Centre. That the twogovernments rarely see eye-to-eye on various issues, this could another ofsuch instances.

Meanwhile, Mangu Singh has enjoyed a rather long inning heading theDelhi Metro. He took over from “Metro Man” E Sreedharan in January2012. He was given an extension in December 2016 and another extension inDecember last year until March 31, 2021, to give the government sufficienttime to find a suitable successor.

But that clearly isn’t happening, say observers. The delay has set off spec-ulation about the government’s plans since a clause in the Delhi Metrorules states unequivocally that a suitable person for senior posts must be namedbefore the posts fall vacant. Though there is still some time, by dragging onthe process the government is cutting it fine, to say the least.

BABU WHO HAS COME IN FROM THE COLDTukaram Mundhe, one 2004-batch IAS officer known for his frequent

transfers and who was kept waiting on posting since August last year, hasseemingly come in from the cold, for now. He has been appointed as Secretaryof the Maharashtra Human Rights Commission.

According to sources, this is the Maharashtra cadre officer’s 17th post-ing in 15 years of his civil service career! Known for his rule-based workethic, it is not surprising that he came up against vested interests. Apparently,he has faced threats and had no-confidence motions passed against him inseveral municipalities where he served. In his last posting at NagpurMunicipal Corporation, he was appointed Member Secretary in theMaharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran in September last year, but the ap-pointment was inexplicably cancelled within days and he was kept waitingfor posting. It can be hoped now he will have a more stable stint at his newworkplace, but don’t count on it!

Share a babu experience! Followdilipthecherian@twitter.com. Let’s multiply the effect. C limate scientists have known

for years that the Arctic iswarming far faster than any-

where else on the planet. But eventhose of us who follow the Arcticclosely were shocked by the changesthat occurred in 2020, a year of bro-ken records, retreating glaciers,and shattering ice sheets. The alarmbells are ringing louder than ever:we must urgently and drastically re-duce our greenhouse-gas emissions.

Last year, temperatures in theArctic Circle reached their highest-ever recorded levels. A heatwave inArctic Siberia brought tempera-tures of 38°C (100°F) – 18°C higherthan the average maximum dailytemperature in past years.Meanwhile, fierce Arctic wildfiresreleased a record-breaking levelof carbon dioxide and set a new pol-lution record for the region.

With the heat turned up, theArctic landscape has been chang-ing fast. For the first time sincerecords began, sea ice in the Arctic’sEurasian sector had not yet begunfreezing in October. The previousmonth, an ice sheet the size ofParis broke off from Greenland’slargest glacier shelf, and in July,Canada’s intact ice shelf – 4,000years old – fragmented. As Arcticice melts, sea levels rise, threat-ening countries worldwide.

Over the last year, scientists have

also spotted worrying signs of fu-ture climate breakdown. As highertemperatures cause Arctic plantsto grow taller, permafrost is thaw-ing faster – a process that releasesenormous amounts of carbon diox-ide and methane, accelerating thetemperature rise. Last year, a 164-foot-deep crater or “funnel,” one ofmany reported in recent years,was found in northern Siberia afteran underground pocket of methane,formed by melting permafrost,burst through the tundra.

The consequences of climatecollapse in the Arctic are wide-ranging. A fuel tank cracked openin the Russian Arctic after settlinginto softened permafrost, releas-ing about 150,000 barrels of dieselinto a river. A Human Rights Watchreport found that climate-relatedchanges in animal migration pat-terns are making it harder for in-digenous communities in Canadato find food or traverse previouslyfrozen bodies of water. And coastalvillages can be devastated whenfish species migrate to escape warm-ing waters.

If the events of 2020 have shownus anything, it is that what happensin the Arctic does not stay there. Onthe contrary, rising Arctic tem-peratures threaten to trigger a dev-astating domino effect that endsin global catastrophe.

That is because of two powerfulnatural phenomena. First, Arcticwarming weakens the jet stream –the river of air that flows highabove Earth’s surface.

The jet stream is propelled by thecontrast between the planet’s frozenpoles and its hot equator. As that con-trast is diminished, the jet streamslows and even stagnates. Scientistsbelieve this change in the jet streamis behind a number of deadlyweather events, including wild-fires in California and Siberia, ex-treme winter storms in EasternUnited States, and record-high tem-peratures in Mojave Desert.

The second way Arctic warmingaffects the rest of the world is bydisrupting the polar vortex, a low-pressure weather system that sitsabove each pole and keeps cold airthere. As the Arctic warms, thecold air contained in the polar vor-tex is thought to be displaced andmoved to the south, leading to ex-treme and unusual cold weather infaraway places. This winter, Italy,Japan, and Spain experienced ex-treme snowfall.

During the pandemic, “buildback better” has become some-thing of a mantra. Measures topreserve the Arctic must be at thecentre of this effort. To aid in thisprocess, Arctic Basecamp, which Ifounded, will be developing an

open-access Arctic Risk platformthis year, to highlight early warn-ing signs of emerging risks causedby changes in the Arctic ecosys-tem.

Fortunately, a growing numberof decision-makers seem to recog-nise the Arctic’s critical impor-tance. The World Economic Forum’srecently released “Global RisksReport 2021” ranked extremeweather, weak climate action, andhuman-induced environmentaldamage among the most likely – andhighest-impact – risks we face overthe next decade. During the WEF’sDavos Agenda week, I led a high-level panel aimed at acceleratingprogress toward protecting thiscritical region.

It is comforting to imagine theArctic as a snowy faraway place,populated by reindeer and polarbears. In fact, it is a cornerstoneof the climate system that keepsour weather stable, our commu-nities habitable, and our economiesprosperous. And it is under im-mense pressure. Relieving thatpressure – especially by endingall mining for oil and gas – is a pre-requisite for a more sustainable andequitable world.

The writer is Founderof Arctic Basecamp, a team of

Arctic experts and scientists. ©PROJECT SYNDICATE

The Arctic on the frontlines

TIME TO AUGMENT RESOURCESO

disha Finance MinisterNiranjan Pujari willlikely present his thirdbudget in February at a

time when the economy is rav-aged by the pandemic-induced re-cession. Indeed, it is a herculeantask to present a please-all budgetespecially when the share of statesfrom the divisible pool is going tobe reduced in the current financialyear and the next financial year forwhich budget will be presented.

Generating resources for budg-etary outlay is a gigantic task es-pecially when rich people are evad-ing taxes. Scarcity of resourcesalways stands as a great impedi-ment to higher allocation for var-ious schemes. Though the Centrehad promised cooperative feder-alism, actually states are experi-encing hostile federalism. Normally,the Centre has a lion’s share inthe use of public funds. But heavywelfare obligations and higher ex-penditures lie with state govern-ments. The implementation ofGST has squeezed the scope for gen-erating resources by state gov-ernments.

A state government generatesresources by own taxes, non-taxes,disinvestment, borrowings, re-covery of loans, etc. It gets fundsfrom the Centre in the form of thestate’s share from Central taxes,grants-in-aid through transfers tolocal bodies, from National DisasterResponse Fund, Central sectorschemes, and Centrally-sponsoredschemes (CSSs). The share of netproceeds from Central taxes rec-ommended to be devolved to stateshas increased from 29.5 per cent inthe 11th finance commission (FC)to 30.5 per cent in 12th FC. It hasfurther increased to 32 per cent in13th FC and to 42 per cent in 14thFC. The 15th FC has kept devolu-tion to states unchanged in its in-terim report for 2020-21 even astheir cumulative share contractedmarginally to 41 per cent after thenumber of states was reduced to28 because of the reorganisationof Jammu & Kashmir into twoUnion Territories. But actually,states are getting much less witheach passing year as the Centre’srevenue collection from cesses

and surcharges though increas-ing by leaps and bounds does notconstitute a part of the divisiblepool. As a result, instead of 42 percent, states are getting much less.In 2015-16, states were getting 35 percent from the divisible pool in-stead of 42 per cent as decided by14th FC. This further dropped to32.4 per cent in 2019-20.

Total cesses and surcharges asa percentage of total revenue col-lected by the Centre have increasedfrom 9.4 per cent in 2013-14 to 15.3per cent in 2019-20. The Centrehas estimated to collect Rs 3,69,111crore through cesses and sur-charges this financial year and itmay increase in 2021-22 as newcesses may be imposed to miti-gate the coronavirus crisis. So, allstates including Odisha are se-verely affected and this the fi-nance minister must raise in anappropriate platform. What is rep-rehensible is that between 2014-15and 2019-20, the Modi governmentfailed to utilise cess amount of Rs3,59,000 crore.

A disconcerting news is thatthe percentage share of Odishafrom net proceeds of the Centraltaxes and duties has declined from5.16 per cent (12th FC) to 4.77 percent (13th FC) and further to 4.64per cent in the 14th FC. It is furtherlikely to decline to 4.63 per cent in

the 15th FC.The Centre’s gross tax revenue

may fall short of nearly Rs 5 lakhcrore in the current fiscal affectingthe its transfer of funds. Some ofthe Central schemes already coverthe sectors chosen for perform-ance-based grants. The state is ex-pected to lose around Rs 8,000 crorethis fiscal. Tax devolution andgrant for Odisha till October 2020is 21 per cent and 15.5 per cent lessas compared to the correspondingperiod in 2019. Odisha, UttarPradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka,Telangana, Kerala, AndhraPradesh, Rajasthan, MadhyaPradesh, and Bihar have seen amajor reduction in devolved tax rev-enue in the current fiscal. Odishahas received Rs 13,456 crore fromthe divisible pool between April andOctober against Rs 17,030 croreduring the same period last year.

Similarly, the share of CSSs dur-ing the seven months was Rs 14,007crore as compared to Rs 16,594crore received during the period inthe previous year. After the 14th FC’srecommendations, the Centre re-duced the number of schemes from67 to 29 and substantially increasedthe ‘matching contribution’ bystates to 40 per cent from 25 per centearlier. The proposal to reduceCentral share further will subvertthe financial health of states. The

states should demand a higherpercentage of contribution from theCentre in CSSs.

However, the Odisha govern-ment is doing well in comparisonto other states in the pandemictimes. As of August, the own taxrevenues of state governmentswere 3 to 38 per cent lower than lastyear. In Odisha it is 14.8 per centlower. Only Tripura, Meghalaya,Sikkim, Chhattisgarh are betterplaced compared to Odisha. Incase of own non-tax revenues ofstate governments, all states havenegative growth ranging from - 8to - 82 per cent. But only two stateshave positive growth -- Tripura 11per cent and Odisha 36 per cent.

The state’s own tax as per the per-centage of GSDP was estimated tobe 6.43 per cent in 2020 21. Thoughthis is better compared to manystates, it is still behind the targetof 6.75 per cent as envisaged by the13th FC. Similarly, non tax rev-enue as a percentage of GSDP wasestimated at 3 per cent in 2020 21.Hence, the state’s own revenue(both tax & non-tax) as a percent-age of GSDP was estimated at 9.4per cent in 2020-21, but it is belowthe record high of 9.51 per centachieved in 2015-16. However, it isbetter than the national average of8 per cent.

It is high time the Odisha gov-ernment explores various avenuesto enhance its own revenues, oth-erwise resources crunch will ham-per progress and the state may bedragged into a quagmire of debttrap. A committee should be con-stituted to explore the possibilityof raising resources. The govern-ment should collect taxes that arepending and curb tax evasion. Thestate government may imposesome new taxes like pollution tax,may enhance entertainment tax too.It can raise resources by imposingrent by leasing unused land, quar-ters of closed industries, barrenland, and a higher tax rate forthose having more than one houseor plot in an urban area, or usingmore than one car/luxury car.

The author is anOdisha-based economist.

Views are personal.

LOL

FOCUS

SPECTRUM

A committee should be constituted to explore the possibility of raising resources. The government should collect taxes that are pending and curb tax evasion

Modi reshuffles babus

DAMAGING FOOD

Adietician was once addressing alarge audience in Chicago. “The

material we put into our stomachs isenough to have killed most of ussitting here, years ago. Red meat isawful. Vegetables can be disastrous,and none of us realises the germs in

our drinking water.But there is one thing

that is the most dangerous of all andwe all of us eat it. Can anyone heretell me what lethal product I’mreferring to? You, sir, in the first row,please give us your idea.”The man lowered his head and said,“Wedding cake.”

SATURDAY | JANUARY 30 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

Care not for time and success. Actout thy part, whether it be to failor to prosper.

SRI AUROBINDO

CLIMATE CRISIS

ODISHA AMONGOTHER STATES

HAS SEEN A MAJOR

REDUCTION IN DEVOLVEDTAX REVENUE

IN THE CURRENT

FISCAL

Santosh KumarMohapatra

WISDOM CORNERKindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking createsprofoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. LAO TZU

There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy.FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE

Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophywhich does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow beforechildren. KAHLIL GIBRAN

ODISHA ECONOMY

Readers of Orissa POSTare most welcome to contribute letters(200 words), articles andcolumns (between 750-1250words). Contributors arerequested to send theircontact numbers and fullpostal address/email ID. They may alsosend in their valuable comments, opinionand suggestions, preferably by email, to: edit@orissapost.com

B-15, Rasulgarh Industrial Estate,Bhubaneswar-751010

LettersTO THE EDITOR

‘My School’ movement

Sir, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s appeal for adopt-ing schools has received tremendous response from var-ious quarters. Members of the administrative and policeservices and also from the judiciary have come forwardto adopt a school of their choice which they are emotionallyconnected to. The move would go a long way in shapingthe future of the students and the institutions they arestudying in. The educational institutions adopted so farhave a glorious history of their own and the personali-ties joining the move for this noble job of adding coloursto their schools would set examples for others. A missionsuch as this will certainly improve the academic envi-ronments in the schools and the students will be en-couraged to follow the footprints of the old studentswho have established themselves in their present fields.Patnaik is the first CM in the country to initiate such aprogramme at a massive scale and for this he deservespraise from all quarters.

Sanjib Das, CUTTACK

Sigh of relief

Sir, This refers to the report “US, Russia agree to extend ‘New Start’ nucleartreaty” (Orrisa Post, International Page, January 28, 2021). With the Biden-Harris team now taking the office in the White House, there are plenty ofissues to resolve. The most pressing issue that the Biden administration facesis America’s relation with Iran given the concern that the present scenariomay upend Washington’s non-proliferation strategy and increase tensionsin the energy rich Gulf region. In 2018, Donald Trump unilaterally with-drew the US from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and im-posed sanctions on Iran, especially on shipment of Iranian oil through theinfamous Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act(CAATSA) to put maximum pressure on Tehran to force it to accept America’smaximum demands that went far beyond the agreement. It is noteworthythat Trump’s policy of exerting maximum pressure has brought Iran closerto the process of weaponisation which is alarming for all nations. Once bit-ten twice shy, Iran now seems to be more vigilant and has rightly cautionedPresident Joe Biden for rejoining the nuclear deal shortly. After four yearsof Trump’s egregious policies and isolationist rhetoric, the general publiccan now breathe a sigh of relief.

Tushar Anand, PATNA

cmyk

cmyk

Dilip Cherian

BABUDOMBYTES

Zorbing

Imagine yourself suspended inside a ten-foot clear plastic sphere bynylon ropes, then rolled to the top of a slope and pushed off. No brakes,

no steering, just you and gravity. By all accounts, it’s like being a straysock in a spin dryer, and it’s obligatory to scream a lot. There are reportsthat some find hillsides too tame, and have tried rolling off cliffs andwaterfalls. The balls bounce OK; so usually do those inside. Some havetried walking on water by taking the spheres on to lakes. This adventureactivity was invented by Dwayne van der Sluis and Andrew Akers in NewZealand in 1995 as something exciting for tourists to do once theybecame jaded with bungee jumping. They created the term Zorb for theball, presumably a variation on orb, which they trademarked and whichthey used for the name of their company. Confirming my suspicion thatthere is no activity so crazy that it will not be taken up by somebodysomewhere, Zorbing has large numbers of enthusiastic participants, notonly in New Zealand but also in the US, Europe and elsewhere. The term,and zorbing for the activity, began to appear in print in 1996. Since Zorbis a proprietary name in New Zealand and the US, the term sphereing hasbeen used as an alternative, though zorbing is showing some signs ofbecoming generic. Variations are becoming known, such as hydro-zorbing, in which you are drenched in soapy water on the way down (thenearest thing in existence to a human washing machine), and harnesszorbing, in which two people are strapped together. On flat land, anumber of participants can play bumper-zorbs. A participant is oftencalled a Zorbonaut.

RISING ARCTICTEMPERATURES

THREATEN TOTRIGGER A

DEVASTATINGDOMINO EFFECT

THAT ENDS IN GLOBAL

CATASTROPHE

Gail Whiteman

cmyk

cmyk

RAJASTHAN

SATURDAY | JANUARY 30 | 2021 | BHUBANESWARP7

BIHAR

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Patna, Jan 29: Rashtriya JanataDal leader Tejashwi Yadav Fridaytargeted CM Nitish Kumar sayinghe doubts whether Kumar is actu-ally a socialist leader.

"Keeping in view the present sit-uation, farmers, teachers and stu-dents are angry with the central andstate government. Crime againstwomen is on the rise...Instead ofaddressing their issues, CM NitishKumar is putting all effort behindsaving his chair. He does not haveany political ideology," Tejashwisaid in Patna.

The RJD leader chaired a partymeeting at the residence of formerCM Rabri Devi Friday to discuss theprogress of the human chain pro-gramme scheduled for January 30to support the farmers agitationacross Bihar.

"We firmly believe that farmersof Bihar have the same ideology asthe farmers of Punjab, Haryanaand Western Uttar Pradesh. Theywill also come out in their sup-port," Tejashwi said.

"In absence of Bazaar Samitiand Mandi, the farmers of Bihar areforced to sell their agriculture prod-ucts way below the Minimum

Support Price (MSP). They are sell-ing paddy at not more than Rs 700to 800 per 100 KG while the MSP isRs 1868. The state governmentshould establish Bazaar Samiti andMandi in Bihar so that farmerscan sell their agriculture products,"he said.

Meanwhile, Rajesh Ranjan aliasPappu Yadav, president of the JanAdhikar Party (JAP) launched anindefinite hunger strike at GandhiMaidan on Friday morning in sol-idarity with the farmers.

He said that the Modi govern-ment must roll back the three farmlaws. "The Centre should stop tor-

turing farmers of our country. Ourelders fought with the British andeventually forced them to retreat.The current government at theCentre is more ruthless than theBritish," alleged Yadav.

"In the agitation, 133 farmershave lost their lives in the last twomonths. This government had con-spired against tractor rallies in awell-planned manner to defamefarmers. How did more than 10,000farmers come to ITO? The DelhiPolice fired tear gas shells on farm-ers. The entire incident should beinvestigated thoroughly under mon-itoring by a court," Yadav said.

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Jaipur, Jan 29: Aiming to bring inbig investors in the petroleum andvalue-added petrochemicals space,the Rajasthan government rolled outthe red carpet for the global oil andpetrochemical majors to set up op-erations in the upcoming Petroleum,Chemicals and PetrochemicalsInvestment Region (PCPIR) atBarmer.

A global virtual meeting washeld Wednesday between potentialinvestors from across the worldand state government officials to pro-mote investment in the region. Themeet was jointly organised by theRajasthan State IndustrialDevelopment and InvestmentCorporation Limited (RIICO) andthe Confederation of IndianIndustries (CII).

Delegates from the embassies ofthe UAE and Brazil along with rep-resentatives of nearly 100 compa-nies from India, Saudi Arabia, UAE,Oman, Ger many, UK, USA,Switzerland, the Netherlands,France, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan,Brazil, Bahrain, Jordan, SouthKorea and other countries partic-ipated in the global meet.

Representatives of importantstakeholder associations like

CHEMEXCIL and IFIBCA also par-ticipated. According to officials,the first phase of development of theproject would see around Rs 15,000crore from top global players andwill generate around 1.5 lakh job op-portunities. They confirmed that theRajasthan government and RIICOwill provide industrial land to theglobal investors at the PCPIR byJuly 2021.

Representing the state govern-ment, senior ministers and offi-cials assured investors of supportand opportunities in the sector. "Itis the first global dialogue for in-vestment, however, we wish to holdit as a continuous process for fa-cilitating investments in the re-gion," said Industries MinisterParsadi Lal Meena.

The PCPIR is being developedby RIICO in Barmer district ofRajasthan. A range of petrochem-ical products, including polyeth-ylene, polypropylene, butadiene,benzene and toluene from the re-finery will be available for the down-stream industries in the region.Situated nearly 9-13 kms from themuch-hyped Barmer refinery, thefirst phase includes 93 industrialplots spread over 243 hectares.

The state government through thedialogue also sought suggestions to

improve the investment ecosys-tem. “A new mining policy is beingdrafted and the suggestions of theparticipants are most welcome andthey will be included for consider-ation of the state government,”said Pramod Jain Bhaya, Ministerfor Mines.

The state government’s efforts forthe global auction drew apprecia-tion from HPCL chairman MukeshKumar Surana. He said that earlycommencement of work on thePCPIR will give investors adequatetime before operations of the re-finery commence next year. He saidthat there was some impact of theCOVID pandemic on the develop-ment of the refinery, however, thework has now resumed at a nor-mal pace. Principal Secretary ofthe Chief Minister and ChairmanRIICO, Kuldeep Ranka, highlightedthe advantages of investment inthe PCPIR.

During his presentation on theopportunities in the petroleumsector, MD RIICO, AshutoshPednekar stated that India's percapita plastic consumption at near11 kg is much less compared tothe world average of 33 kilogramsper capita, thus emphasising thehuge growth potential in petro-chemical products.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Jaipur, Jan 29: The Rajasthangovernment has reduced value-added tax (VAT) rate by two percent on petrol and diesel, givingpeople the much needed respitefrom rising fuel prices.

The state finance departmentlate Thursday issued orders, whichcame into effect from Thursdaymidnight.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlotsaid that despite the price of crudeoil being at the lowest level for a longtime at the international market,inflation is rising as prices of petroland diesel are hovering at all-timehigh levels and the common manis facing economic difficulties.

The price of branded or pre-mium petrol price had crossed Rs100-mark in Sriganganagar town ofRajasthan January 27.

Retail fuel prices vary from stateto state depending on local sales taxor VAT.

The Chief Minister said in astatement that the government ofIndia is currently charging an ex-

cise duty of Rs 32.98 per litre onpetrol and Rs 31.83 per litre ondiesel, which is excessive.

Gehlot said that the basic exciseduty paid by the government ofIndia is part of the divisible poolpaid to the states, which has beenreduced continuously from Rs 9.48to Rs 2.98 on petrol and Rs 11.33 toRs 4.83 on diesel due to which allthe states, including Rajasthan arelosing huge revenue.

He said that the Centre has beencontinuously increasing the addi-tional excise duty from Rs 8 to Rs18 per litre on petrol and dieseland special excise duty has been in-creased from Rs 7 to Rs 12 on petroland from zero to Rs 9 per litre ondiesel. Due to this policy of theCentre, the states are not gettingtheir benefits. At the same time, peo-ple have to bear the brunt of ex-pensive petrol and diesel.

He said that following the ini-tiative taken by the state govern-ment, the central governmentshould also give relief to commonman by reducing central taxes onpetrol and diesel.

AGENCIES

Patna, Jan 29: The Bihar gov-ernment will guide four poll-boundstates and a Union territory on con-ducting elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said. Thestate’s Health Department had wonaccolades for conducting the elec-tions to the 243-member assemblyamid the coronavirus surge lastyear.

Officials from West Bengal, TamilNadu, Kerala, Assam andPuducherry, where elections arelined up this year, are dialling theBihar Health Department for tipsto accomplish the gigantic taskwithout causing a surge in coron-avirus cases, they said. Acceptingthe Assam government’s request,a Bihar Health Department teamwill visit the northeastern statesoon to give a detailed presenta-tion on how the assembly electionswere conducted with adherence tothe COVID-19 guidelines, PrincipalSecretary, Health, Pratyaya Amrittold PTI.

“Bihar has received similar re-quests from West Bengal and otherstates and we will share our expe-riences with them,” the official,credited with leading his team to suc-cessfully conduct the Bihar elec-tions in October-November last

year, said. On conducting the pollsamid the coronavirus surge, hesaid, “It was a big challenge beforeus. We could accomplish the task dueto the hard work of all the staffersand support from the ElectionCommission of India and the stategovernment.”

The Bihar administration hadmade arrangements for the 7.3 crorevoters to exercise their franchise atover 1.06 lakh polling stations. ChiefElection Commissioner Sunil Arorahad lauded the manner in which theelections were conducted. Around57.34 per cent (over four crore) of the7.3 crore voters exercised their fran-

chise, which was higher than the pre-vious assembly election’s votingpercentage of 56.8 per cent. TheECI had procured 18 lakh faceshields, 70 lakh masks, 5.4 lakh sin-gle-use rubber gloves for pollingand security personnel and 7.21crore one hand single-use poly-thene gloves for voters to press theEVM button and sign the registerat the polling stations. Keepingpaucity of time in mind, the or-ders were placed by the BiharMedical Services and InfrastructureCorporation Ltd through theGovernment e-Marketplace portal.

Teams were then sent to the pro-

duction and supply centres at Agra,Ajmer, Dehradun and New Delhi toensure timely delivery of items.Over 10 lakh ASHA workers andJeevika didis (members of SHGs)were mobilised at three nodal cen-tres Patna, Muzaffarpur and Purniafor packaging the procured itemsinto kits, Health Department sourcessaid.

Buses were arranged for thewomen to and from the centres,which were sanitised thrice a day,they said. The kits were then packedand handed over to district magis-trates and superintendents of po-lice for booth-wise distribution.ANMs, paramedics and ASHA work-ers were trained for thermal scan-ning at polling stations. Lists ofCOVID-19 positive electors wereprovided beforehand to polling of-ficials and special training was im-parted to handle them.

The supply of such a large quan-tity of safety kits also necessitatedeffective bio-medical waste man-agement. Every polling station hadyellow bags and bins for the col-lection of waste. Trucks werearranged for collecting the wastetwice on the day of polling. Thewaste items were deposited at thenearest assigned healthcare facil-ity and later disposed of as perstandard protocol.

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Jaipur, Jan 29: PETA India rep-resentatives, in an in-person meet-ing with Rajasthan Chief secre-tary Niranjan Arya, submitted adesign of electric royal chariot forreplacing elephants at the AmerFort.

The unique design, which PETAIndia and Desmania Design sug-gested to be named "Maharaja",resembles a royal chariot. The ve-hicle could ferry four tourists pertrip and would be suitable for thehilly terrain like that at Amer Fort.

It needs to be mentioned herethat the committee constituted bythe Project Elephant Division ofthe Ministry of Environment,Forest and Climate Change re-cently recommended to phase outelephant rides at Amer Fort by re-placing them with electric vehiclerides.

People for the Ethical Treatmentof Animals (PETA) India, soonafter the recommendations, col-laborated with leading design com-pany Desmania Design to create amodern electric vehicle.

PETA India representatives alsosubmitted a factsheet to the ChiefSecretary citing shocking instancesin which captive elephants havereacted to their abuse at AmerFort, leading to serious injuries,deaths, and destruction of prop-erty, and requested him to safe-guard tourists and the general pub-lic from such health and safetyrisks.

"The respected chief secretarylistened to PETA India, which rep-resents kind people around theworld, and now we hope tourists andelephants will be given the royaltreatment with these majestic, cut-ting-edge cars, which can replaceanimals forced to give rides," saysPETA India Chief Advocacy OfficerKhushboo Gupta.

"Desmania is delighted to offerthis eco- and animal-friendly elec-

tric vehicle design, which would de-liver a memorable experience forvisitors while helping to end crueland archaic elephant rides," saysDesmania Design ManagingDirector Anuj Prasad.

The Central government ap-pointed the expert committee asper a March 6, 2020 order of theSupreme Court of India, and thecommittee report incorporatedrecommendations made by PETAIndia, including ending elephantrides, citing ageing elephants andtourists' declining preference forthese rides.

The committee's recommenda-tions include refraining from usingelephants with irreparable eyeproblems for rides and banningany new additions of elephantsfor rides.

The report notes that of the 98captive elephants inspected, 22suffered from irreversible eyeproblems and 42 had foot prob-lems, including overgrown nailsand flat footpads from walkingon concrete roads. Three elephantstested positive for tuberculosis,a disease that could be fatal fortourists who catch it.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Patna, Jan 29: The oppositionGrand Alliance in Bihar Fridaydeclared it will organise a humanchain across the state Saturday toexpress solidarity with the farm-ers agitating against the farm laws.

Flaying the NDA governmentin Bihar for having scrappedAPMCs over a decade ago, formerdeputy CM Tejashwi Yadav alleged"this had reduced farmers to labour-ers. The central laws will convertthem, like cultivators elsewhere, intobeggars". Kumar's government hadabolished Agriculture ProduceMarketing Committee (APMC) Actin 2006 and also ended the mandi(wholesale markets for agricul-tural produce) system.

He claimed that while his RJDwas in power and the state wasruled, first by his father Lalu Prasadand subsequently mother Rabri

Devi, farmers were better off as theyoften sold their produce at priceshigher than the MSP. Decrying theuse of force on many occasions toquell the stir in and around Delhi,the RJD leader said "it is for the firsttime in the country that the chantsof 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' have beenjettisoned and jawans are beingpitted against kisan (farmers).

Yadav, whose promise of "10lakh government jobs" is widelybelieved to have boosted prospectof the RJD as well as the five-partyopposition coalition in assemblypolls,also slammed the state gov-ernment for setting up commit-tees to assess performance of 50years plus employees with the sup-posed aim to retrench those whowere not found up to the mark.Representatives from other grandalliance constituents Congress,CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(ML) also spokeon the occasion.

Now, Tejashwi questionsNitish’s political ideology

We firmly believethat farmers of Biharhave the same

ideology as the farmersof Punjab, Haryana andWestern Uttar Pradesh.They will also come outin their support TEJASHWI YADAV I FORMER DY CM

Bihar to guide 4 states on holding polls amid pandemicOfficials from West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, where elections are lined up this year, are

dialling the Bihar Health Department for tips to accomplish the gigantic task without causing a surge in coronavirus cases

PETA’s EV chariotdesign to replacejumbos at Amer

THE UNIQUE DESIGN, WHICH PETA INDIA ANDDESMANIA DESIGN SUGGESTED TO BE NAMED“MAHARAJA”, RESEMBLES A ROYAL CHARIOT

The Central government appointedthe expert committee as per a

March 6, 2020 order of the SupremeCourt of India, and the committeereport incorporated recommendationsmade by PETA India, including endingelephant rides, citing ageing elephantsand tourists' declining preference forthese rides.

The committee's recommendationsinclude refraining from using ele-

phants with irreparable eye problemsfor rides and banning any new addi-tions of elephants for rides.

The report notes that of the 98 cap-tive elephants inspected, 22 suf-

fered from irreversible eye problemsand 42 had foot problems, includingovergrown nails and flat footpads fromwalking on concrete roads.

Gehlot govt rolls out red carpet for global petrochemical majors

The first phase of development of the project would seearound Rs 15,000 crorefrom top global playersand will generatearound 1.5 lakh jobopportunities

RAJ ANNOUNCES 2 PC CUTIN VAT ON PETROL, DIESEL

Bihar Grand Alliance to organise human chain against farm laws

Security personnel baton charge members of the youth wing of the Rashtriya Janata Dal during a protest at PatnaUniversity, in Patna, Friday. PTI PHOTO

ON WARPATH

P8

nationalSATURDAY | JANUARY 30 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

He is thePresident andhe is entitled

to our respect. It is amatter of greatregret today thatthe Oppositionsought to boycott it

RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD | UNION MINISTER

of theday uote

We havealreadyapplied to the

drug controller’soffice for thebridging trial ofNovavax Inc’sCOVID-19 vaccine a few days ago

ADAR POONAWALLA | SERUM INSTITUTE OF

INDIA CEO

The presenceof SyedShahnawaz

Hussain in the BiharLegislative Councilwill be of immensehelp for the partyespecially in the Seemanchal region

NITISH KUMAR | BIHAR CHIEF MINISTER

The Centre has no sensitivityleft for farmers, which is why Iam starting my indefinite fastat my village from January 30ANNA HAZARE | ACTIVIST

The Maharashtra government Fridayapproved resumption of suburban trainservices in Mumbai for the general publicfrom February 1, a state official said

MAHA GOVT NOD FOR RESUMINGTRAIN SERVICES FOR ALL FROM FEB 1

Jawan shootsdead colleagueRaipur: A CRPF jawan waskilled and another one gotinjured after one of theircolleagues opened fire atthem at a camp of theparamilitary force inChhattisgarh’s Bastar districtFriday, police said. Theoffender, who wasundergoing treatment forsome mental health issue,later allegedly tried to shoothimself in a bid to commitsuicide, they said. “Theincident occurred at 8 am inthe camp of CRPF's 241st'Bastariya' battalion in Sedwavillage under Kesloor policestation area,” InspectorGeneral of Police (Bastarrange) Sundarraj P said.

Teen raped, poisoned to deathMedininagar (Jharkhand): Apara-teacher has beenarrested for allegedly rapingand poisoning a 13-year-oldgirl to death in Jharkhand'sPalamu district, police saidFriday. The girl, with whosefamily the 35-year-oldaccused had a land dispute,was raped inside an emptyclassroom in a school inPanki police station areaWednesday and was thenpoisoned, Lesliganj Sub-divisional Police Officer AnupKumar Baraik said. She diedwhile undergoing treatmentat a hospital on Thursday, theofficer said, adding that theaccused has been arrested.

Another TMCMLA quits partyKolkata: Days after quittingthe Mamata Banerjeecabinet, TMC leader RajibBanerjee Friday resigned asthe MLA of the West BengalAssembly, as speculationthat he might join the saffroncamp ahead of the stateelections picked up steam.The former Forest minister,who represented the DomjurAssembly seat, visited thestate assembly in themorning and submitted hisresignation to Speaker BimanBanerjee. “I have resigned asMLA of the state Assembly. Ihave submitted myresignation letter to thespeaker,” he said.

Migrant labourersfound deadDhanbad: Two migrantworkers from West Bengalworking in a brick kiln werefound dead in a makeshifthut at a village in Jharkh-and's Dhanbad district Fridaymorning, a police officer said.All three were residents ofPurulia district in WestBengal and had been workingin a brick kiln at Ranglitandvillage under Tetulmari policestation limits. The bodieswere spotted by the brick kilnowner when he came to thehut after finding them absentfrom work.

SHORT TAKES

yy

cmyk

cmyk

AGENCIES

Nagpur, Jan 29: The Nagpur benchof the Bombay high court January17 acquitted a man of raping a 15-year-old girl, ruling that “it seems highlyimpossible for a single man to gaga survivor’s mouth, remove her andhis clothes, and perform the forciblesexual act without any scuffle”.

“Had it been a case of forcible in-tercourse, there would have been a

scuffle. Medical evidence also does-n’t support the survivor’s case as noinjuries from a scuffle could beseen,” Justice Pushpa Ganediwalaheld.

On March 14, 2019, petitionerSuraj Kasarkar (26) was sentencedto 10 years of rigorous imprisonmentby a Sessions court after being con-victed for rape of the minor. Hewas also convicted for criminaltrespass. He was charged underSections 376(1) and 451 of the IPCalong with Section 4 of the POCSOAct. The complaint against himwas lodged by the survivor July 26,2013. Kasarkar challenged the trialcourt’s verdict, contending it was-n’t rape but a consensual act and thesurvivor lodged the complaint afterher mother found him fleeing herhouse.

He also said the girl was “habit-uated to sexual acts”. Additional

public prosecutor MJ Khan arguedthat the survivor couldn’t havegiven a false deposition. JusticeGanediwala observed that the tes-timonies of the girl and her mothercould not prove that she was below18 years when the offence was com-mitted. Moreover, in her cross-ex-

amination, she admitted that she de-clared her age as 15 years in theFIR on her mother’s insistence.Even the birth certificate submit-ted in court isn’t in the specified for-mat and couldn’t prove the sur-vivor’s age.

“The defence of consensual phys-

ical relations does appear proba-ble. The accused could bring onrecord the probable doubt with re-gard to consensual relation. Thegirl admitted that she wouldn’t havelodged a complaint if her motherhadn’t arrived,” the judge said.

Quoting settled law in such cases,Justice Ganediwala added thatstricter the sentence, stronger shouldbe the proof. “The sole testimony ofthe prosecutrix in rape cases is suf-ficient to fix criminal liabilityagainst the accused. However, con-sidering the substandard qualityof the girl's testimony, it would begrave injustice to send the peti-tioner behind bars for 10 years. Theprosecution miserably failed to fixcriminal liability of rape against himby criminal trespassing in the sur-vivor’s house,” she said, while quash-ing the Sessions court order con-victing the accused.

Single man can’t rape a minor without scuffle: Bombay HCIt seems highly impossiblefor a single man to gag a

survivor’s mouth,remove her and his

clothes, and perform theforcible sexual act

without any scuffle: HC

THE SC’S REFUSAL TO GRANT INTERIM PROTECTION TO TEAM “TANDAV” AND ITS OBSERVATION THAT ACTORS CANNOTPLAY ROLES HURTING THE “RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS OF OTHERS” HAS LED TO CONSTERNATION IN THE INDUSTRY

‘Alarming to hold actors accountable for fictional roles’‘TANDAV’ CONTROVERSY

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Mumbai, Jan 29: The SupremeCourt's refusal to grant interimprotection to Team “Tandav” andits observation that actors cannotplay roles hurting the “religioussentiments of others” has led toconsternation in the industry withmany insiders worried about theroad ahead for India’s “soft power”.

A day after the apex court rulingon the starry political saga fromAmazon Prime Video from whichseveral scenes have already been cut,most Bollywood biggies were silent.

However, there were others, in-cluding Hansal Mehta, PritishNandy, Konkona Sen Sharma andGulshan Devaiah who spoke of theline between art and the artistebeing blurred and the implications

of it. Some asked how actors couldbe held accountable for who theyplayed on screen.

On Wednesday, the SupremeCourt declined to grant interimprotection from any coercive ac-tion to “Tandav” director Ali AbbasZafar, actor Mohd Zeeshan Ayyuband others facing multiple FIRs forallegedly hurting religious senti-ments. Ayyub's lawyer defendedthe alleged objectionable part ofthe Web series, saying that as anactor he has no artistic control overdialogues spoken by him. “You can-not take up role without readingscript. You cannot play role hurtingreligious sentiments of others,”the bench remarked.

Viewing the observations withalarm, several said it exposes actors,whose very job is to play varied

characters, to legal trouble.Sharing the news report about the

SC order, actor Konkona Sen Sharmatweeted, "Almost all involved in theshow have read the script and signedthe contract! Let's arrest the whole

cast and crew?" Screenwriter-lyri-cist Mayur Puri, whose works in-clude "Om Shanti Om" and "HappyNew Year", said it was "ridiculous"to hold an actor responsible for theactions of a fictional character.

"What I thought was particularlyalarming was making a creator oran actor responsible for what acharacter does. That's fiction! By thatlogic, you'd say Amrish Puri was abad person. He wasn't, he just playedthose characters. It's a rather strin-gent interpretation of the law, it'sblindsided. It's completely unwar-ranted," Puri told this news agency.

"So from now on we have to playcharacters that are exactly who weare. Dear directors, writers & pro-ducers are you by any chance writ-ing a role for a nomadic nerd iden-tifying as a cisgender straightwoman who is 5’8” and just theright amount of weird & wonderfullyastounding?” tweeted “Scam 1992,”actor Shreya Dhanwanthary.

Actor Gulshan Devaiah said theSC's decision has left many actors

in a quandary. "A lot of us are feel-ing this is a crack of the whip andit is working, in the sense that a lotof us are scared. One thing I find baf-fling and disturbing is actors arebeing targeted through FIRs.

“We are contractually obligatedwith the companies, who offer us thecontract and if you refused to dosomething that you have agreed tothen you are breaking the contractand they can sue you and take youto court,” he added.

At the centre of “Tandav” con-troversy is a scene that showsAyyub's student leader Shiva play-ing Bholenath, another name forLord Mahadev, in a college the-atrical production, for which themakers apologised and even de-cided to implement changes underpressure.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, Jan 29: The Editors’Guild of India Friday strongly con-demned the filing of FIRs againstsenior editors and journalists fortheir reporting on the farmers’tractor rally and the ensuing vio-lence here on Republic Day, sayingit was an attempt to “intimidate, ha-rass and stifle” the media.

In a statement, the Guild de-manded that such FIRs be with-drawn immediately and the mediabe allowed to report without fear andwith freedom. It said journalistshave been specifically targeted forreporting the accounts pertainingto the death of one of the protestorson their personal social media han-

dles as well as those of the publi-cations they lead and represent.

"It must be noted that on the dayof the protest and high action, severalreports were emerging from eye-witnesses on the ground as well asfrom police, and therefore it was onlynatural for journalists to report all thedetails as they emerged. This is in linewith established norms of jour-nalistic practice," the Guild said.

The Editors Guild said it "stronglycondemns the intimidating man-ner in the way in which the UttarPradesh and Madhya Pradesh Police"have registered FIRs against senioreditors and journalists for reportingon the farmers' protest rallies and theensuing violence that took place inthe national capital January 26.

The FIRs allege that the tweetswere intentionally malicious andwere the reason for the desecra-tion of the Red Fort, the Guildnoted, asserting that nothing canbe further from truth. “On a daythick with information, the EGIfinds these FIRs, filed in differentstates, as an attempt to intimidate,harass, browbeat, and stifle themedia,” the Guild said.

R-DAY VIOLENCE

EDITORS’ GUILD SLAMSFIRS AGAINST SCRIBESThe Guild demanded that such FIRs be withdrawn immediately and the media

be allowed to report without fear and with freedom

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, Jan 29: Against thebackdrop of the Chinese aggressionin eastern Ladakh, President RamNath Kovind Friday said the gov-ernment is “vigilant” and that ad-ditional forces have also been de-ployed at the Line of Actual Control(LAC) to protect the sovereigntyof the country.

In an address to a joint sitting ofParliament on the opening day ofthe Budget session, Kovind, who isalso the Supreme Commander ofthe Armed Forces, said when Indiawas grappling with the COVID-19crisis attempts were made to chal-lenge its capability at the border.

“Efforts were made to disruptthe peace at LAC in utter disre-gard of bilateral relations andagreements. However, our secu-rity forces not only responded tothese machinations with promp-titude, force and courage, but alsofoiled all attempts to change thestatus quo at the border,” he said.

“The restraint, valour andcourage displayed by our jawans,deserve utmost praise. In June2020, twenty of our jawans made thesupreme sacrifice and laid downtheir lives defending the country atGalwan Valley. Every citizen isdeeply indebted to these martyrs.”

Close to 100,000 Indian andChinese troops are deployed in

eastern Ladakh as both sides havebeen holding on to their groundand showing readiness for a long-haul, amid continuing diplomaticand military talks to find an ami-cable solution.

“My Government is vigilantand fully committed to safeguardthe interests of the country.Additional forces have also beendeployed at the LAC to protect thesovereignty of India,” PresidentKovind said.

China is yet to disclose the num-ber of its soldiers killed and in-jured in the clash though it offi-cially admitted to have sufferedcasualties. According to anAmerican intelligence report, thenumber of casualties on the Chineseside was 35.

Govt ‘vigilant’, addlforces deployed atLAC, says President

JOINT ADDRESS TO PARL

n Against the backdrop of theChinese aggression in easternLadakh, President Ram NathKovind Friday said the governmentis “vigilant” and that additionalforces have also been deployed atthe LAC

n In an address to a joint sitting ofParliament on the opening day ofthe Budget session, Kovind saidwhen India was grappling with theCOVID-19 crisis last year attemptswere made to challenge its capability at the border

LEISURELY EVENING

People walk along RK beach during sunset in Visakhapatnam, Friday PTI PHOTO

Resign or provemajority, AIADMKtells Pondy CM

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Puducherry, Jan 29: TheOpposition AIADMK here Fridayasked Congress senior leader andChief Minister V Narayanasamyto prove his government's major-ity on the floor of the TerritorialAssembly or quit the post of theChief Minister.

The AIADMK made this de-mand as the resignation of theruling Congress members hadweakened the strength of the partyin the House. The leader of the leg-islature wing of the AIADMK AAnbalagan said in a press releasethat A Namassivayam, who wasnumber-two in the Narayanasamy-headed government, had resignedfrom the post of the PWD Ministerand also the MLA post.

Another Congress legislator ETheeppainthan too quit the MLApost, reducing the strength of theCongress to a minority.

Therefore, Anbalagan said, theChief Minister should come for-ward and prove his government'smajority. He said the LieutenantGovernor Kiran Bedi should directconvening of a special session ofthe House to ascertain the ma-jority of the government.

Anbalagan said the AIADMKand its alliance partners wouldsubmit a memorandum soon tothe Lieutenant Governor seekinga directive for the session. The cur-rent political developments haveweakened the government. Routineadministration has also come to astandstill and the Chief Ministerhas failed to implement the prom-ises made in the Congress electionmanifesto, Anbalagan said.

BSP, AAP join 16others in boycottingPresident addressINDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

New Delhi, Jan 29: The BahujanSamaj Party and the Aam AadmiParty Friday decided to join the 16opposition parties, who have de-cided to boycott President RamNath Kovind's address to the jointsitting of the Rajya Sabha and LokSabha on the issue of farm laws.

BSP chief Mayawati tweetedthat her party will be boycottingthe address since the governmentwas not accepting the demand ofthe farmer's to repeal the threefarm laws. Congress leader JairamRamesh tweeted: “Today 16Opposition parties are boycottingthe President’s address toParliament in full solidarity withthe agitating farmers, whom theModi Sarkar is trying to defame.Opposition reiterates the demandsof Kisan andolan to repeal the 3anti-farmers’ laws.”

V Narayanasamy

P9

nationalSATURDAY | JANUARY 30 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

Disrespectshown to the Tricolourat the Red Fort duringthe farmers’ tractorrally January 26 asunfortunateRAM NATH KOVIND | PRESIDENT OF INDIA

Tourists in Kashmir’s Gulmarg skiresort have a new place to chill out - anigloo cafe that serves hot food anddrink on tables made of ice and snow.The igloo holds four tables withenough room for 16 guests

KASHMIR HOTEL LURESTOURISTS WITH IGLOO CAFE

yy

cmyk

cmyk

The UllalAssemblyconstituency

has become a mini-Pakistan inMangaluru. UnlessHindus in the regiondon't rise above the Muslims, theywill continue to dominate majorityof the Hindus

KALLADKA PRABHAKAR BHAT | RSS LEADER

of theday uote

Power theft worth`3.5 crore detectedBareilly (UP): Power theftworth about `3.5 crore wasdetected in a rice mill inRichha area here following araid, a senior electricitydepartment official saidFriday. The raid was carriedout at Bismillah rice millThursday night and it wasfound that the owner wasindulging in power theft withthe help of an electronicdevice installed there,Superintending Engineer(rural), Syed Tariq Jalil said.The power supply to the millwas cut and an inquiry intothe functioning of thedepartmental staff deployedin the area has beenlaunched.

Youth, girl killed,bodies hanged Bareilly (UP): A youth and agirl were killed and theirbodies hanged from a tree inthe Mirganj area here, policesaid Friday. The youth, 19,and the girl, 17, were in arelationship, SeniorSuperintendent of PoliceRohit Singh Sajwan said. OnThursday, the girl’s familymembers found them talkingto each other at a secludedplace and in a fit of ragethey killed the duo andhanged their bodies from atree, he said.

6 killed as lorry,auto collide Hyderabad: Six people werekilled when a lorry and an auto-rickshaw collided head-on at avillage in Mahabubabad districtof Telangana Friday, police said.The six - three men and asmany women - were in the auto,the police said. The accidentoccurred in Marrimitta village,they said. As per preliminaryinformation, negligence on thepart of the lorry driver wasbelieved to be the cause of themishap, they added.

SHORT TAKES

President’s Bodyguards during the Budget Session of Parliament in New Delhi, Friday PTI PHOTO

AGENCIES

Ghaziabad, Jan 29:Crowds swelledon the Ghazipur border Friday asaround thousands of farmers fromwestern Uttar Pradesh joined theBharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) mem-bers who have stayed put on theDelhi-Meerut Expressway to de-mand repeal of agri laws, whileseveral farmers from Haryana de-cided to move towards Delhi bordersto join the stir.

Notwithstanding the Ghaziabadadministration's ultimatum to theprotestors to vacate the UP Gateprotest site, more farmers fromwestern Uttar Pradesh districtssuch as Meerut, Baghpat, Bijnor,Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad andBulandshahr reached the UP Gateearly morning to join the stir fol-lowing an emotional appeal by BKUleader Rakesh Tikait.

The crowd of protesters that hadreduced to 500 Thursday night hasnow again increased with over 1000farmers joining the stir.

Flanked by supporters, Tikaitremained at the centrestage of theprotest site on the Delhi-MeerutExpressway, which has been bar-ricaded from both sides, prohibit-ing regular traffic movement.

However, extra security forcesdeployed at the protest site havebeen sent back.

Several farmers from parts ofHaryana have also decided to move

towards Delhi borders to join the on-going agitation against agri laws andheld protests against lookout no-tices to peasant leaders and theGhaziabad administration's ulti-matum to vacate protest site.

The farmers claimed that issuingthe lookout notices and asking thefarmers to vacate the site will notweaken the ongoing agitationagainst the Centre's new farm laws.

A number of farmers from Jind,Rohtak, Kaithal, Hisar, Bhiwaniand Sonipat will be heading to-wards various protest sites at Tikri,Singhu and Ghazipur, farmer lead-ers from Haryana claimed.

Backing the protesting farmers,Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit

Singh announced support to theBKU. The former Union ministerspoken to BKU president NareshTikait and spokesperson RakeshTikait, RLD vice president and hisson Jayant Chaudhary said.

“It is a matter of life and deathfor farmers, but do not worry. Allhave to stay together, united in this-- this is Chaudhary sahab's (AjitSingh's) message," the RLD vice-president said in a tweet in Hindi.

The Kejriwal government alsoextended its support to the farmerswith Deputy Chief Minister ManishSisodia visiting the Ghazipur bor-der protest site to check the arrange-ments made for them by the city gov-ernment.

The Ghaziabad administrationlate Thursday night gave an ulti-matum to agitating farmers to va-cate the UP Gate protest site butTikait remained adamant, sayinghe would commit suicide but won'tend the stir.

Ghaziabad District MagistrateAjay Shankar Pandey and SeniorSuperintendent of Police KalanidhiNaithani visited the protest sitepost midnight to review the situa-tion at the site where hundreds ofsecurity personnel in anti-riot gearswere deployed Thursday.

Thousands of farmersattend mahapanchayat

n Crowds swelled on the Ghazipur bor-der Friday as around thousands offarmers from western Uttar Pradeshjoined the Bharatiya Kisan Unionmembers who have stayed put onthe Delhi-Meerut Expressway todemand repeal of agri laws

n Flanked by supporters, Tikaitremained at the centrestage of theprotest site on the Delhi-MeerutExpressway, which has been barricaded from both sides, prohibiting regular traffic movement

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, Jan 29: The CBI hasbooked six officials of the IndianOverseas Bank in Andhra Pradesh’sVijaywada and Guntur for allegedlymisappropriating Rs4.56 crore fromthe accounts of a state governmentscheme providing cashless treat-ment to police personnel, officialssaid Friday.

The agency also carried outsearches at various places locatedin Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Naduin connection with the case, theysaid. “It was allegedthat the secretary,Arogya Bhadrathawas maintainingsavings accountswith IndianOverseas Bank,MangalagiriBranch in Gunturdistrict and havingfour deposits of ̀ 90lakh each and another account withdeposit of ̀ 68.84 lakh, totaling ̀ 4.28crore,” CBI spokesperson RC Joshisaid

The accused officials closed thesefour accounts without any requestfrom the account holder.

“It was further alleged that the pro-ceeds of the four deposit accounts

amounting to `3.87 crore and also`68.84 lakh (approx) in another ac-count in the name of the secretary,Arogya Bhadratha were withdrawnin cash partially on various datesand transferred to unrelated ac-counts after routing through vari-

ous banks office ac-counts and thirdparty accounts,” hesaid. Bhadrathaand Arog yaBhadratha schemesof Andhra Pradeshgovernment pro-vide cashless treat-ment to police per-sonnel.

The agency has booked HeliVeepuri, the then regional resourcemanager posted at the regional of-fice in Vijaywada and officials atMangalagiri Branch – assistantmanagers V Suresh, D Narasimhaand K Sireesha as well as clerks MAdinarayana Murali and MPraveen Syam.

CBI books six IOBofficials for fundsembezzlement

THE SIX OFFICIALSALLEGEDLY

MISAPPROPRIATED `4.56CRORE FROM THE

ACCOUNTS OF A STATEGOVERNMENT SCHEMEPROVIDING CASHLESSTREATMENT TO POLICE

PERSONNEL

THE PRESIDENT’S MEN

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Chandigarh, Jan 29: Actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, who has beenbooked in connection with the re-ligious flag incident at Red Fort,has said he needs some time tobring out the truth and will then jointhe investigation.

The 36-year-old Sidhu is in the eyeof a storm for being among the pro-testers who put up a religious flagatop the Red Fort on Republic Day.

“Arrest warrant has been issuedagainst me and also a look out no-tice has been issued against me.First I want to give this message thatI will join the investigation,” Sidhusaid in a video uploaded onFacebook.

He said he needed some time tobring out the truth.

“Because whatever has beenspread, it is false information andit is misleading the public at large.Therefore, I need a couple of daysto bring out the truth and then I willjoin the investigation,” said Sidhu.

“I am requesting the investiga-tion agencies...I have not done any-thing wrong then why should I runaway and why should I be scared.I am not scared. I have done noth-ing wrong and that will come out,”he said. He told the investigationagencies and the police departmentthat he will come to them in two days.

“The kind of rumours beingspread is not based on facts. I needtwo days to bring out the truth

based on the facts and I will collectall the evidence and proof,” hestated.

The Delhi Police hadnamed Sidhu in an FIRlodged in connection withthe Red Fort incident.

Sidhu was present at theRed Fort when a religiousflag and a farmer flag wereput at the flagpole at the his-toric monument, triggeringmassive outrage. Sidhu hadbeen accused by farm bodiesof trying to de-fame their ag-itation andtermed a“trai-tor”.

In his latest video, Sidhu al-leged, “But after looking at all

the information now, it ap-pears that it could also bea trap. Be it of the Delhipolice or of the gov-ernment. It appears tobe a trap.”

Narrating the se-quence of events, Sidhusaid, “I left my place at

around 10:45 am in a car.By that time, the in-formation was re-ceived that people on

their ownheaded

to-

wards Ring Road and were movingtowards Delhi and they did not fol-low the route as decided by the Delhipolice and the government”. Heclaimed that he passed through vil-lages as the main road was blocked.He reached a place where the bar-ricading was broken.

Then the police at one place hadstopped the traffic and they alsogot stuck there, he said.

He claimed that “weak” barri-cading was put up by the police.

Sidhu further claimed that the po-lice allowed one tractor and a careach and they also moved ahead.

He stated that they then reachednear the Red Fort and he got a‘Nishan Sahib’ from a person onhis way. Then the ‘Nishan Sahib’ and

a farmer flag were put at a flagpoleby some people, he said.

He claimed that even policemen“praised” them for not indulging inany kind of hooliganism. Thereafter,he came out of the Red Fort, hesaid. Sidhu stated that later, he wastold that some people were not com-ing out of the Red Fort.

“We went back there and re-quested people to come down,” hesaid. He claimed that even two IPSofficers in Delhi thanked him forbringing people back.

Sidhu claimed that the barri-cading, which was done by the po-lice when farmers marched fromPunjab to Delhi November 26, wasmuch heavier than what was doneJanuary 26.

Will join probe, need time to bring out truth: Deep SidhuACTOR-TURNED-ACTIVIST DEEP SIDHU HAS SAID HE NEEDS SOME TIME TO BRING OUT THE TRUTH AND WILL THEN JOIN THE INVESTIGATION

AGENCIES

Mumbai, Jan 29: In a precau-tionary measure after the mys-tery blast in New Delhi near theIsraeli Embassy, the MaharashtraPolice has tightened security acrossthe state, top officials said herelate Friday.

Deputy Chief Minister AjitPawar, Home Minister AnilDeshmukh, along with top offi-cials of the Home Department,reviewed the security situationafter the incident in the nationalcapital and ordered beefing up se-curity measures in the state.

The security cover has beenheightened near the NarimanHouse in Mumbai, where theJewish prayer facility, ChabadHouse is located along with a me-morial-cum-museum to the vic-tims of the 26/11 Mumbai terrorstrikes, important consulates inMumbai and offices of certain in-ternational organisations.

Besides, increased cover hasbeen given to all airports, majorrailway stations, bus depots, gov-ernment offices, vital installa-tions, certain religious or pil-grimage sites and other importantbuildings to ward off any untowardincidents.

Police and other armed unitshave also increased patrolling insensitive or crowded areas inMumbai, Pune, Aurangabad,Nagpur and other places.

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 29:Customs officials are preparing toquestion Kerala Assembly SpeakerP Sreeramakrishnan by next weekin the dollar smuggling case, ac-cording to informed sources.

The sources revealed that theSpeaker will be questioned unoffi-cially without serving a notice andthe Customs Department has re-ceived a legal opinion in this regard.

During their appearance beforethe the Department, the two ac-cused in the gold and dollar smug-gling case, Swapna Prabha Sureshand PS Sarith, said thatSreeramakrishnan is also involved.

They have also given written state-ments before the Department thatthe smuggled dollars were used to buystakes in an educational institutionin Oman. The Customs officials havealso interrogated Naz Abdulla, aclose associate of the Speaker based

on the information shared by Swapnaand Sarith that Sreeramakrishnanwas using a SIM card taken inAbdulla’s name. Abdulla is also thedirector the educational institutionin Oman where the Speaker has al-legedly invested. The informed sourcesfurther revealed that the SIM cardceased to function after the smug-gling case came to light.

If evidences are found against theSpeaker after the unofficial ques-tioning, the Customs Departmentwill move ahead with further ac-tions, the sources added.

After being served a notice by theCustoms Department, K Ayyappan,Assistant Private Secretary of theSpeaker, failed to appear beforethe officers for three times in arow citing various reasons. In re-sponse, the Opposition has levelledallegations that the Speaker was pro-tecting Ayyappan to cover up things.

Indian Union Muslim League leg-islator M Ummer had submitted a no-trust motion against the Speakerand there were heated discussions inthe Assembly on howSreeramakrishnan had sacrificedthe sanctity of the position by in-dulging in such matters. With theSpeaker being questioned in the runup to the Assembly polls likely to beheld in mid-April, the Left demo-cratic front will have several questionsto answer to the general public asSreeramakrishnan was a formerNational president of the Youth Wingof the CPM, the DYFI and a party statecommittee member.

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

New Delhi, Jan 29: The SupremeCourt Friday observed that the crit-icism of the top court has been agrowing phenomenon and every-body is doing it now.

The observation was made by abench headed by Justice AshokBhushan during the hearing ofcontempt cases against comedianKunal Kamra and cartoonist RachitTaneja for their tweets and car-toons making undignified and

derogatory remarks on the topcourt. Senior advocate MukulRohatgi, representing Taneja, con-tended before the bench why thecourt had to take cognizance ofthis matter. “Foundation of courtis much stronger. Criticism of courtcan never be contempt. She is young25-year-old girl. There is a public per-ception why a journalist case wastaken up during vacations,” ar-gued Rohatgi. Justice Bhushanreplied that court agrees with hissubmission, but this is growing

and everyone is doing it now. Thebench asked Rohatgi to file a replyin the matter. Rohatgi said his clientwill say what he is saying now.

Rohatgi also asked the top courtto take up his client's case sepa-rately and not with Kamra's case.After a brief hearing in the matter,the top court adjourned Taneja's pleafor three weeks. The top court askedthe petitioners in Kamra's case tofile their replies on the affidavitby him and adjourned the matterfor two weeks.

There is nodefenceneeded for

jokes and it is basedon the comedian'sperception. Myposts on Twitterwere not made with the intention of"diminishing faith of people injudiciary

KUNAL KAMRA | COMEDIAN

This is anideologicalattack on

India's institutionalstructure and on oureducation system,where one does notneed any understanding

RAHUL GANDHI | CONGRESS LEADER

SC says remarks against top court ‘growing’

DOLLAR SMUGGLING CASE

Customs officialsto question KeralaAssembly Speaker

AFTER DELHI BLAST,SECURITY BEEFED UP IN MUMBAI

P10SATURDAY | JANUARY 30 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

internationalThe US’ decisionto suspend the

sale of the F-35 fighterjets to the United ArabEmirates (UAE) will notaffect ties between TelAviv and Abu Dhabi BENJAMIN NETANYAHU | ISRAELI PRIMEMINISTER

In a move that has raised eyebrows of many, a university in Pakistan hasplanned to slap a ban on femalestudents and teachers from wearingjeans and tights, imposing amandatory rule to wear a scarf with'abaya' on the university campus

PAKISTAN UNIVERSITY TO BAN JEANS FOR WOMEN

cmyk

cmyk

The variantwhich wasfirst detected

in South Africa hasspread quicklybeyond Africa andso what is keepingme awake at night right now is thatit is very likely circulating in anumber of African countries

MATSHIDISO MOETI | WHO’S REGIONAL

DIRECTOR FOR AFRICA

of theday uote

The Covid-19pandemic isaccelerating in

many countries anduncertainty isunusually high

VITOR GASPAR |DIRECTOR OF THE IMF’S FISCAL AFFAIRS

DEPARTMENT

The upcomingPalestinianelections are

crucial andimportant in thepath of thePalestinian nationalstruggle to reach our legitimategoals of freedom and independence

MAHMOUD ABBAS | PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT

Tibetan cultureadvocate releasedBeijing: A Tibetan shopkeeperconvicted of incitingseparatism based on hiscomments in a New YorkTimes documentary wasreleased Friday afterserving a five-year prisonsentence, advocacy groupssaid. Tashi Wangchuk'srelease was reported by thewriters group PEN Americaand the InternationalCampaign for Tibet.

France mullsadditional curbsParis: The Frenchgovernment is consideringintroducing strictercoronavirus restrictions inthe coming days to stem analarming rise in confirmedcases of the new Covid-19variants, Health MinisterOlivier Veran said. At a pressbriefing here Thursday, Verannoted that the sanitarysituation was deterioratingas "the virus variants areactively circulating in France"despite the government'sefforts to contain thespreading, reports said.

SL to begin vaccination Colombo: Sri Lankan healthauthorities will Friday beginthe inoculation of 250,000frontline health workersagainst the novel coronavirusafter Covid-19 vaccinesdonated by India arrived inthe island nation. Thestatement said that upontheir arrival at Sri Lanka'sBandaranaike InternationalAirport Thursday, the 500,000Covishield vaccines donatedby India were handed over toPresident GotabayaRajapaksa by HighCommissioner of India to SriLanka Gopal Baglay, reportsXinhua news agency.

SHORT TAKES

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Naypyitaw, Jan 29:Just two monthsafter Aung San Suu Kyis NationalLeague for Democracy (NLD) sweptthe general elections in Myanmar,the largest country in mainlandSoutheast Asia is facing the threatof a military coup.

The military-backed oppositionUnion Solidarity and DevelopmentParty (USDP) in Myanmar hasdisputed the results of the gen-eral elections held on November8 last year, in which the NLD se-cured way above the 322 seats re-quired to form the government. Itwas the second general polls since2011, when the military rule endedin the country.

Earlier this week, the army hadwarned that it will take action ifthe complaints about "election

fraud" were not addressed. It alsohinted at the possibility of a coup.

Sources on Friday told IANSthat a military coup appeared tobe a likely outcome given China'sgrip over the internal situationin the country.

Myanmar's military junta, whichruled the country through the 90sand 2000s, has had the backing ofthe Chinese Communist Party(CCP). After a long struggle againstthe military regime for nearly twodecades, Suu Kyi led Myanmar'stransition to a partial democracyin the last five years.

Suu Kyi, a former Nobel laure-ate, however, faced widespreadcriticism from the West when hergovernment expelled around700,000 Rohingya Muslims accusedof perpetrating Islamist terror-ism and propagating separatism.

In a case filed by a group of Islamiccountries at the InternationalCourt of Justice in The Hague,she has been accused of genocideof Rohingyas. However, her gov-ernment, whose survival dependson the military, not only stood bythe army, but also began engaging

Beijing to secure investments. ForChina, Myanmar is of strategic im-portance due to its access to theIndian Ocean, the main route forChina's oil imports from the MiddleEast. Beijing is keen on the de-velopment of overland routes foroil and gas pipelines via the

Kyaukphyu special economic zone(SEZ) and deep-sea port, whichwill allow it to bypass the SouthChina Sea where the US and Japanare challenging its sovereignty.

While New Delhi has been in-terested in Myanmar's entry intoAssociation of Southeast AsianNations (ASEAN) grouping againstBeijing, China seems to have ex-tended its backing to the militaryin Myanmar, amid the rapidlyevolving situation in the region.

India and China remain lockedin a stand-off along the Line ofActual Control (LAC) in EasternLadakh since last year, whileWashington-Beijing relations alsodeteriorated over their bilateraltrade and later over the coron-avirus pandemic, which origi-nated in Wuhan city of Hubeiprovince in China. On Friday,

Australia, the sharpest critic ofthe Chinese government, alongwith other democracies includ-ing the UK and the US, warnedMyanmar's military against stag-ing a coup. A joint statement fromthe diplomatic missions inMyanmar, said, "We urge the mil-itary, and all other parties in thecountry, to adhere to democraticnorms and we oppose any attemptto alter the outcome of the electionsor impede Myanmar's democratictransition." United NationsSecretary-General AntonioGuterres has also issued a state-ment, calling on "all actors to de-sist from any form of incitementor provocation, demonstrate lead-ership, and to adhere to demo-cratic norms and respecting theoutcome of the November 8 gen-eral election.

MYANMAR FACES THREAT OF MILITARY COUP

AGENCIES

Washington, Jan 29: Voicing out-rage over the acquittal of those in-volved in the brutal murder ofDaniel Pearl in 2002, the WhiteHouse has asked Pakistan to ex-peditiously review its legal options,including allowing the US to pros-ecute al-Qaeda terrorist AhmedOmar Saeed Sheikh and other sus-pects to secure justice for theAmerican journalist's family.

Pearl, the 38-year-old South Asiabureau chief for The Wall StreetJournal, was visiting Pakistan toreport on Islamist militant net-works in the country and on thelinks between the country's powerfulspy agency ISI and al-Qaeda fol-lowing the September 11, 2001 ter-ror strikes. He was kidnapped inKarachi, the capital of Sindh, andbeheaded days later.

Pakistan's Supreme CourtThursday dismissed appeals againstthe acquittal of British-born al-Qaeda terrorist Sheikh in the kid-napping and murder case of Pearland ordered his release, a judgementdenounced by the American jour-nalist's family as "a complete trav-esty of justice."

The apex court cleared Sheikhand his three Pakistani accom-

plices in the case of all the charges,ordering that Sheikh and othersbe immediately freed from jail.

Hours after the ruling, WhiteHouse press secretary Jen Psaki un-derlined the new Biden adminis-tration's commitment to securejustice for Pearl's family.

Psaki, during her daily newsconference on Thursday, said: “TheUnited States is outraged by thePakistani Supreme Court's deci-sion to affirm the acquittals ofthose responsible for Wall StreetJournal reporter Daniel Pearl'skidnapping and brutal murderwhich shocked the world's con-science in 2002”.

“This decision to exonerate andrelease Sheikh and the other sus-pects is an affront to terrorism vic-

tims everywhere, including inPakistan. We recognise pastPakistani actions to try to hold MrPearl's murderers accountable, andwe do note that as of right now,Omar Sheikh remains in deten-tion in Pakistan under nationalsecurity authorities.

“But we call on the Pakistani gov-ernment to expeditiously review itslegal options, including allowing theUnited States to prosecute for thebrutal murder of an American cit-izen and journalist,” Psaki said inresponse to a question on Pakistan'sapex court's decision. Sheikh andhis three aides - Fahad Naseem,Sheikh Adil and Salman Saqib -were convicted and sentenced in theabduction and murder case of Pearlin Karachi in 2002.

The United States, she said, iscommitted to securing justice forPearl's family and holding terror-ists anywhere accountable for theirheinous crimes.

Reacting to the acquittal, USSecretary of State Tony Blinken, ina strongly worded statement, urgedPakistan to explore all legal op-tions to ensure that the killers ofPearl are brought to justice.

The United States is committedto securing justice for Pearl's fam-ily and holding terrorists ac-countable, he said. Pearl's murdertook place three years after Sheikh,along with Jaish-e-Mohammadchief Masood Azhar and MushtaqAhmed Zargar, was released byIndia in 1999 and given safe passageto Afghanistan in exchange for thenearly 150 passengers of hijackedIndian Airlines Flight 814.

In April 2020, a two-judge SindhHigh Court bench commuted thedeath sentence of 46-year-old Sheikhto seven years imprisonment. Thecourt also acquitted his three aideswho were serving life terms in thecase - almost two decades after theywere found guilty and jailed. TheSindh government and family ofPearl filed petitions in the apexcourt, challenging the high courtverdict.

‘Allow US to prosecute Daniel’s killers’HOURS AFTER THE RULING, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY JEN PSAKI UNDERLINED THENEW BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S COMMITMENT TO SECURE JUSTICE FOR PEARL'S FAMILY

AGENCIES

London, Jan 29: Novavax, a vac-cine undergoing trials for effec-tiveness against the novel coron-avirus, has become the first immunedose to definitively confirm pro-tection against the new variant ofthe deadly virus which was de-tected in the UK late last year.

A late-stage clinical trial in-volving over 15,000 people in theUK found that the vaccine pro-duced by American firm Novavaxis 89.3 per cent effective in pre-venting coronavirus and offered85.6 per cent protection against thenew British strain of COVID-19,which is up to 70 per cent moretransmissible.

A smaller, separate trial alsoshowed that it was about 60 percent effective against the SouthAfrican variant, despite con-cerns that this strain may not re-spond to vaccines.

Prime Minister Boris Johnsondescribed the findings as “goodnews” and confirmed that the UK

will now go ahead with the as-sessment and approval process forthe jabs by the Medicines andHealthcare products RegulatoryAgency (MHRA).

Once cleared for public use,Novavax will become the fourthvaccine to be deployed in the UK inthe coming weeks, joining thePfizer/BioNTech,Oxford/AstraZeneca and Modernajabs. “Our medicines regulator willnow assess the vaccine, which willbe made in Teesside (north-eastEngland). If approved, we have 60million doses on order,” saidJohnson.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Beijing, Jan 29: China Fridaysaid it has taken note of ExternalAffairs Minister S Jaishankar'ssuggestions to mend the strainedbilateral relations, saying that it ap-preciates his remarks which showedthat New Delhi attached impor-tance to ties with Beijing.

“We have noted MinisterJaishankar's remarks,” China'sForeign Ministry spokesman ZhaoLijian told a media briefing herewhile responding to a question onthe online address by Jaishankarto the 13th All India Conference ofChina Studies.

“He stressed the importance ofIndia-China relations. It shows thatthe Indian side attaches impor-tance to the ties with China, weappreciate this,” Zhao said.“Meanwhile, we stress that theboundary issue shall not be linkedwith the overall bilateral relations.That is an important experience wehave gathered through many years'effort to keep the ties moving for-ward," the spokesman said.

“We hope the Indian side willwork with us to properly managethe differences, promote practicalcooperation and bring bilateral re-lations back on track,” Zhao said.

In his address Thursday,Jaishankar outlined eight broadprinciples and three "mutuals"to mend strained ties betweenIndia and China, and said the twocountries are truly at crossroadsand their choices will have pro-found repercussions, not just forthem but for the entire world.The minister said the develop-ments in eastern Ladakh last yearbrought the relationship under"exceptional stress" and India isyet to receive a credible expla-nation for the change in China'sstance or reasons for amassingtroops in the border areas.

The two countries are locked ina military standoff in easternLadakh since May 5 last. India andChina have held several rounds ofmilitary and diplomatic talks toresolve the face-off in easternLadakh, but no significant headwayhas been made so far.

Novavax found effectiveagainst UK nCoV variant

China appreciates EAMJaishankar’s suggestions

SINO-INDIA TIESThe two countries are

locked in a militarystandoff in eastern

Ladakh since May 5 last

India and China have held several rounds ofmilitary and diplomatic talks to resolve theface-off in eastern Ladakh, but no significantheadway has been made so far

J&J COVID VACCINEIS 66% EFFECTIVEJohnson & Johnson said Fridaythat its single-dose vaccine was66 per cent effective inpreventing COVID-19 in a largeglobal trial against multiplevariants which will give healthofficials another weapon totackle the coronavirus In the trialof nearly 44,000 volunteers, thelevel of protection againstmoderate and severe COVID-19varied from 72 per cent in theUnited States, to 66 per cent inLatin America and just 57 percent in South Africa, from wherea worrying variant has spread.

A lament for Portugal’slong lockdownREUTERS

Lisbon, Jan 29: Portugal’s ex-tension of a nationwide lock-down this week in the face ofspiking COVID-19 infectionswas no surprise to Marco, 43,who had to shut his Lisbon fit-ness studio earlier this month.

But he is tired and upset.“We’ve been at this for a

year, something should havebeen done sooner,” he toldReuters Friday as he walkedh i s d o g i n a n o t h e r w i s elargely empty church square.

Facing the world’s highestper capita death toll, Portugalhas extended a harsh lock-down until mid-February,banned non-essential travelfor its nationals and imposedchecks on the border withSpain.

Marco had to shut his studiothis month for the second timesince the start of the pandemic

and expects it to stay closed forsome time to come.

“It was obvious they had to doit. But I’m frustrated. There’s justnothing to do,” he said in a state-ment.

Prime Minister AntonioCosta said on Wednesday thatrelaxing restrictions overChristmas worsened the situation, but also pointed tothe quick spread of a new andmore contagious variant nowestimated to be responsible foraround a third of cases.

Hospitals are creaking underthe pressure. Health ministrydata shows just 67 intensivecare beds available nationwide.

Streets were largely desertedexcept for the occasional su-p e r m a rke t c a s h i e r o r construction worker taking ab r e a k o n t h e c u r b and a few pedestrians walk-ing quickly by. Few believe re-strictions will be lifted soon.

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Lahore, Jan 29: The Pakistangovernment has decided to reno-vate several holy sites belongingto minorities across the country,in a bid to further strengthen itscase of providing safety and se-curity to the minorities living inthe country.

As per details, several gurd-waras and temples will undergorenovation across Pakistan.

According to statistics, the totalnumber of Sikh gurdwaras andHindu temples in Pakistan are1,830. However, only 31 templesand gurdwaras are operational.

Official sources say that themeager number of operationaltemples and gurdwaras hasprompted the government to takeaction and renovate the minorityholy sites. The Evacuee TrustProperty Board (ETPB), provincialgovernments along with the Sikhand Hindu community memberswill be part of the overall reno-vation process, which is likely tobe completed this year. In Punjabprovince, a Sikh mansion inRawalpindi will be restored, whilerenovation in at least two churchesand seven Hindu temples is inprogress in Lahore.

Moreover, the construction ofthe Hindu temple in the capitalIslamabad, is also likely to becompleted in 2021. "Karsewa ofGurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahorehas been going on for manyyears. But the Indian membersof the Karsewa Committee hadto return home as their visasexpired and it could not be re-newed because of the pandemic.So this work was stalled andwill be resumed soon," SardarAmeer Sindh, Secretary Generalof Pakistan Sikh GurdwaraP r a b a n d h a k C o m m i t t e e(PSGPC), said.

Pak to renovateholy sites of minorities

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Washington, Jan 29: In its firstaddress to the media under theJoe Biden administration, thePentagon has claimed that theTaliban was jeopardising the land-mark agreement it signed withthe US in February 2020.

"The Taliban have not met theircommitments. Without them meet-ing their commitments to renounceterrorism and to stop the violent at-tacks on the Afghan NationalSecurity Forces, and by dint of thatthe Afghan people, it's very hard tosee a specific way forward for thenegotiated settlement," PentagonPress Secretary John Kirby said.

"But we're still committed tothat, there's no question aboutthat... We need to find a reasonable,

rational end to this war, and thatit's got to be done through a ne-gotiated settlement that includesthe Afghan government," he added.

The US and Taliban signed thehistoric agreement on February29, 2020, which called for a fullwithdrawal of the American mil-itary forces from the war-torncountry by May 2021 if the militantgroup meets the conditions of thedeal, including severing ties withother terrorist organisations.

Last week, US National SecurityAdvisor Jake Sullivan spoke withhis Afghan counterpart HamdullahMohib during which he made clearWashington's intention to reviewthe agreement, including to as-sess whether the Taliban was liv-ing up to its commitments to cutties with terrorist groups, to reduceviolence in Afghanistan, and toengage in meaningful negotia-tions with the Kabul governmentand other stakeholders.

Taliban jeopardisingagreement with US: Pentagon

ROCK AND ROLL

People sled down a public sledding trail on Mount Uetliberg in Zurich, Switzerland REUTERS

P11

businessSATURDAY | JANUARY 30 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

If a business isbuilt on

misleading users, on dataexploitation, on choicesthat are no choices at all,then it does not deserveour praise. It deservesreformTIM COOK | CEO, APPLE

Retail inflation for industrial workerseased to 3.67% in December 2020 against9.63% in the same month of last year dueto lower prices of certain food items.Retail inflation measured in terms of all-India Consumer Price Index for IndustrialWorkers was 5.27% in November 2020, alabour ministry statement said

INFLATION EASES

cmyk

cmyk

The focus ofMatterthrough

design andengineering will beto create productsand services wellsuited for the Indian user. We haveset a target of $1 billion top line by2025. Our vehicles are well alignedwith India's strong demand forclean mobility

MOHAL LALBHAI | FOUNDER & CEO, MATTER

of theday uote

I am veryhopeful givenour enterprise,

given the number ofvaccines India isdeveloping and thecapacity available,hopefully in my own personal read,by Q3. We may actually have asituation where supply will meet upthe demand or even outstrip

GAGAN SINGH | COUNTRY PRESIDENT & MD,ASTRAZENECA PHARMA (INDIA)

The adoptionof technologyin real estate,

especially with thechallenges posed bythe pandemic, hasmade the process offinding homes for buying or rentingmuch simpler

DHRUV AGARWALA |GROUP CEO, HOUSING.COM

L&T bags`2,500cr contractNew Delhi: Infrastructurecompany Larsen & Toubro(L&T) Friday said it hasreceived an up to `2,500-crore contract for Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed railcorridor project. "The heavycivil infrastructure businessof L&T Construction hassecured a significantcontract from two packagesof the Mumbai-AhmedabadHigh Speed Rail Corridor,"L&T said.

NTPC Meja JVto begin opsNew Delhi: State-run powergiant NTPC Friday said the660 MW second unit of itsjoint venture Meja UrjaNigam will be commerciallyoperational from January 31."Based on achievement ofapproved norms andnecessary approvals, unit-2of 660 MW capacity of MejaThermal Power Station ofMeja Urja Nigam (P) Ltd(MUNPL)...is declared oncommercial operation witheffect from 00:00 hours ofJanuary 31, this year," NTPCsaid in a regulatory filing.

Shah becomesnew chairmanMumbai: Mahindra andMahindra Financial Services(Mahindra Finance) Fridayannounced the appointmentof Anish Shah as thechairman of the board,effective April 2, 2021. Shah isalready a director of thecompany. He is the deputymanaging director and groupCFO of M&M Ltd and isdesignated to take over asthe MD and CEO of thecompany from April 2, 2021.Shah has taken over fromDhananjay Mungale, who willcontinue to be anindependent director on theboard of Mahindra Finance,the release said.

J&J vax adds toCovid armouryNew York: Johnson & Johnson said Friday that itssingle-dose vaccine was 66% effective inpreventing COVID-19 in alarge global trial againstmultiple variants, givinghealth officials anotherweapon to tackle thepandemic. In the trial ofnearly 44,000 volunteers, thelevel of protection againstmoderate and severe COVID-19 varied from 72% in the United States, to 66% in Latin America.

SHORT TAKES

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, Jan 29: The govern-ment Friday revised downwardsthe economic growth rate for 2019-20 to 4 per cent from 4.2 per cent es-timated earlier, mainly due to con-traction in secondary sectors likemanufacturing and construction.

"Real GDP or GDP at constant(2011-12) prices for the years 2019-20 and 2018-19 stands at ̀ 145.69 lakhcrore and `140.03 lakh crore, re-spectively, showing a growth of 4.0per cent during 2019-20 and 6.5 percent during 2018-19," NationalStatistical Office said in revisednational account data.

Under the first revision releasedin January 2020, real GDP or GDPat constant (2011-12) prices for 2018-19 was pegged at ̀ 139.81 lakh crore,showing a growth of 6.1 per cent.

"The growth in real GVA dur-ing 2019-20 has been lower thanthat in 2018-19 mainly due to rela-tively lower growth in 'Mining andQuarrying', 'Manufacturing','Electricity, Gas, Water Supply &Other Utility Services ' ,'Construction', 'Trade, repair, Hotelsand Restaurants' and 'FinancialServices'," the data said.

During 2019-20, the growth ratesof the primary sector (comprisingagriculture, forestry, fishing andmining & quarrying), secondary

sector (comprising manufactur-ing, electricity, gas, water supply &other utility services, and con-struction) and tertiary sector (ser-vices) have been estimated as 3.3 percent, (-)1.1 per cent and 7.2 per centas against a growth of 2.2 per cent,5.8 per cent and 7.2 per cent, re-spectively, in the previous year.

Nominal Net National Incomeor NNI at current prices for 2019-20 stands at `179.94 lakh crore as

against `167.05 lakh crore in 2018-19, showing a growth of 7.7 percent as against a rise of 10.3 per centin the previous year. Per capita in-come i.e. per capita net nationalincome at current prices is esti-mated at ̀ 1,25,883 and ̀ 1,34,186, re-spectively, for 2018-19 and 2019-20.

Per Capita PFCE at currentprices, for 2018-19 and 2019-20 is es-timated at `84,567 and `91,790, re-spectively.

GDP growth rate for 2019-20revised downwards to 4 pc

Real GDP for the years 2019-20and 2018-19 stands at `145.69

lakh crore and `140.03 lakh crore,respectively

DURING 2019-20, THE GROWTH RATES OF THE PRIMARY SECTOR,SECONDARY SECTOR AND TERTIARY SECTOR (SERVICES) HAVE BEEN

ESTIMATED AS 3.3%, (-)1.1% AND 7.2% AS AGAINST A GROWTH OF 2.2%,5.8% AND 7.2%, RESPECTIVELY, IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR

Under the first revision released inJanuary 2020, real GDP for 2018-

19 was pegged at `139.81 lakh crore,showing a growth of 6.1%

AGENCIES

New Delhi, Jan 29: The output ofeight core infrastructure sectors con-tracted for the third month in arow by 1.3 per cent in December2020, dragged down by poor showby crude oil, natural gas, refineryproducts, fertiliser, steel and ce-ment sectors.

The core sectors had expandedby 3.1 per cent in December 2019,according to the provisional datareleased by the Commerce andIndustry Ministry Friday.

Barring coal and electricity, allsectors recorded negative growthin December 2020.

During April-December 2020-21,the sectors' output declined by 10.1per cent against a growth rate of 0.6per cent in the same period of theprevious year.

The output of crude oil, naturalgas, refinery products, fertiliser,steel and cement declined by 3.6per cent, 7.2 per cent, 2.8 per cent,2.9 per cent, 2.7 per cent, and 9.7 percent, respectively.

The growth in coal produc-

tion slowed down to 2.2 per centin the month under review from6.1 per cent in the same monthlast year. However, electricityoutput grew by 4.2 per cent inDecember 2020.

The eight core industries con-stitute 40.27 per cent of the Indexof Industrial Production.

The government also revisedcore sector output data forSeptember 2020 showing a growthrate of 0.6 per cent in the monthagainst the earlier projection of0.1 per cent contraction.

Commenting on the data, ICRAPrincipal Economist Aditi Nayarsaid that discouragingly, the coreindex continued to contract for thethird consecutive month inDecember 2020.

"Based on the plateau in thecore sector data, juxtaposed withthe uptick in auto productiontrends and recovery in non-oilmerchandise exports, we expectedthe IIP to rebound to a modestgrowth of 0.5-1.5 per cent inDecember 2020, trailing the levelseen in October 2020," she said.

8 core industries’ outputcontracts 1.3 pc in Dec

The eight coreindustriesconstitute40.27% of theIndex ofIndustrialProduction

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, Jan 29: Union gov-ernment’s fiscal deficit soared to`11.58 lakh crore or 145.5 per centof the budget estimate at the end ofDecember 2020, mainly on accountof lower revenue realisation.Revenue realisation was hit by dis-ruptions in normal business ac-tivities following the coronaviruspandemic and lockdowns.

According to the data released bythe Controller General of Accounts(CGA), the fiscal deficit at the endof December in the previous fi-nancial year was 132.4 per cent ofthe Budget Estimate (BE) of 2019-20.

In absolute terms, the fiscal deficitstood at ̀ 11,58,469 crore at December-

end, as per the data.For the current fiscal, the gov-

ernment had pegged the fiscaldeficit at ̀ 7.96 lakh crore or 3.5 percent of the GDP in the Budget whichwas presented in February 2020.

The fiscal deficit or gap betweenthe expenditure and revenue hadbreached the annual target in Julythis year.

As per the data, the Governmentof India received ̀ 11.21 lakh crore

(50 per cent of corresponding BE2020-21 of total receipts) up toDecember 2020. Of this, `9,62,399crore was tax revenue, `1,26,181crore was non-tax revenue and`33,098 crore was non-debt capitalreceipts.

Non-debt capital receipts con-sist of recovery of loans (Rs 14,202crore) and disinvestment proceeds(Rs 18,896 crore).

The total receipts till December2020 works out to be 49.9 per cent ofthe BE. The receipts were 56.6 percent of the BE 2019-20 at the end ofDecember 2019.

The CGA also said that ̀ 3,71,640crore has been transferred to stategovernments as devolution of shareof taxes by the central governmentup to December 2020.

FISCAL DEFICIT SOARSTO `11.6L CR AT DEC END

According to a data release, the fiscal deficit at the end of December in the previousfinancial year was 132.4 per cent of the Budget Estimate of 2019-20

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

New Delhi, Jan 29: India requiresan active fiscal policy which will en-sure accrual of overall benefits fromCentre's seminal economic reforms,said Economic Survey 2020-21 Friday.The survey document which wastabled by Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman in the Parliament citedfiscal multipliers are dispropor-tionately higher during periods of eco-nomic crises than booms.

"Thus, as the Covid-19 pandemichas created a significant negativeshock to demand, an active fiscal pol-icy can ensure the full benefit of

seminal economic reforms takenby the government," the surveysaid. "As the IRGD is expected to benegative in the foreseeable future,a fiscal policy that provides an im-petus to growth will lead to lower,not higher, debt-to-GDP ratios."

The Economic Survey examinedthe optimal stance of fiscal policyin India during a crisis and con-cluded that it is growth that leadsto debt sustainability and not nec-essarily vice-versa.

Besides, the survey noted thatthe phenomenon of a negative IRGDin India, unlike advanced economies,is not due to lower interest rates but

much higher growth rates.Consequently, the trend has

prompted a debate on saliency of fis-cal policy, especially during growthslowdowns and economic crises.

According to the survey, simu-lations undertaken till 2030 highlightthat, given India's growth poten-tial, debt sustainability is unlikelyto be a problem even in the worst-

case scenarios. The survey high-lighted that a well-designed ex-pansionary fiscal policy stance cancontribute to better economic out-comes as it can boost potentialgrowth with multi-year public in-vestment packages that raise pro-ductivity and mitigate the risk ofIndian economy falling into a lowwage-growth trap, like Japan.

In addition, it pointed out that atime of excessive risk aversion inthe private sector, as seen during aneconomic crisis, risk-taking viapublic investment can catalyse pri-vate investment, leading to a crowd-ing in, than a crowding out.

‘India requires an active, counter-cyclical fiscal policy’The Economic Survey examined the

optimal stance of fiscal policy inIndia during a crisis and concluded thatit is growth that leads to debtsustainability and not necessarily vice-versa

According to the survey, simulationsundertaken till 2030 highlight that,

given India’s growth potential, debtsustainability is unlikely to be aproblem even in the worst-casescenarios

ECONOMIC SURVEY

The survey highlighted thata well-designed

expansionary fiscal policystance can contribute tobetter economic outcomes

In addition, it pointed out thata time of excessive risk

aversion in the private sector,as seen during an economiccrisis, can catalyse privateinvestment, leading to acrowding in

AGENCIES

New Delhi, Jan 29: Highwaysconstruction will regain fast-paceof the pre-COVID level on the backof multiple initiatives and un-locking of the economy, theEconomic Survey 2020-21 saidFriday.

The COVID-19 shock resulted inthe decline of road constructionto 22 km a day in the current fis-cal from 30 km a day in FY19.

Asserting that India runs onthe road, the Economic Surveytabled in Parliament said roadtransport is the dominant mode oftransportation in the country andhighways building would be fast-tracked.

"The pace at which roadshave been constructed hasgrown significantly from 12kms per day in 2014-15 to 30kms per day in FY19 before itmoderated in FY20.

"The decline in the constructionof road per day in FY21 is mostlyon account of the COVID-19 shock.With the unlocking of the econ-omy, construction of roads is ex-pected to return to the high paceattained before COVID-19," it said.

Total investment in the roadsand highway sector has gone upmore than three times in the sixyears - from ̀ 51,935 crore FY15 to`1,72,767 crore in FY20, whichalso led to increased road den-sity across the states, it said.

‘Highways constructionto regain high pace of pre-COVID level’

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi/Davos, Jan 29: Formaking emerging technologiesbeneficial in India, it needs to beassured that they reach people atthe bottom of the pyramid, busi-ness and political leaders saidFriday at the Davos AgendaSummit.

During a panel discussion on'Harnessing emerging technolo-gies in India' on the last day ofthe week-long online summit of theWorld Economic Forum, TelanganaIT Minister KT Rama Rao saidany technology that does not havea positive societal impact is goingto be futile.

"We need to take a closer lookat technologies that have rede-fined the world. We need to considerhow it positively impacts the com-mon man," Rao said.

The AI has the potential to helpwith agriculture, he added.

During the same session, UPLLtd Global CEO Jai Shroff saidsmall farmers face constant dis-ruptions and challenges and thetechnology indeed has the poten-tial to help them.

‘AI has potential tohelp agri sector’

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: One of theleading automobile manufactur-ers Skoda Auto India Fridaylaunched the updated version ofthe ‘Superb’ flagship sedan atTrinity Skoda (showroom) in city.The new 2021 Skoda Superb ispriced at `31.99 lakh for theSportLine trim and its Laurin &Klement is priced ̀ 34.99 lakh (bothprices, ex-showroom pan India).

Updated version is equippedwith features like LED headlampswith LED daytime running lightsand illuminated eyelashes. TheSportline and the L&K have beenequipped with new equipment for2021 to justify the increase in priceranges. Superb was first launchedin India in 2004.

The refreshed Skoda Superbsports the new 20.32 cm floatingcapacitive touch display with prox-imity sensor which feature a glassdesign and an update user interface.It is also part of the new generationAmundsen Infotainment systemwith inbuilt navigation.

The cabin of the 2021 SkodaSuperb gets a new 8-inch touch-screen display with proximity sen-sor. The SmartLink connectivitytechnology in the new Skoda Superbsupports MirrorLink, wireless

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.The luxury sedan also gets voicecommand control, new 'Type C'USB ports, Bluetooth GSM te-lephony, audio streaming and wire-less charging options.

The Laurin & Klement gets thePark Assist function with offering360-degree surround area view.

O w n e r o f T r i n i t y S w at iKejriwal Skoda said, “2021 SkodaSuperb is equipped with goodfeatures which are not availablein BMW, Audi and Mercedes atthis price. We are hoping for thebest with this model.”

Kejriwal also said that Skodawill be launching new SUV modelKushaq in March and it will be agame changer. She also mentionedthat they are planning to open threedealerships in Balasore, Sambalpurand Rourkela in by next year.

2021 Skoda Superblaunched in Capital

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, Jan 29: India is reap-ing the “lockdown dividend” fromthe preventive measures it adoptedat the onset of the COVID-19 pan-demic indicating its willingnessto take short-term pain for long-termgain, said the Economic Surveytabled in Parliament Friday. The doc-ument also said despite the hard-hit-ting economic shock created by theglobal pandemic, India is witnessinga V-shaped recovery with a stablemacroeconomic situation aided by a

stable currency, comfortable currentaccount, burgeoning forex reserves,and encouraging signs in the manu-facturing sector output. "India isreaping the 'lockdown dividend'from the brave, preventive measuresadopted at the onset of the pan-demic" it said in the opening chap-ter titled 'Saving Lives andLivelihoods Amidst a Once-in-a-Century Crisis'. Unlike Oscar Wilde'scynic, 'who knows the price ofeverything and the value of noth-ing,' India's policy response to thepandemic stemmed fundamentally.’

India reaping ‘lockdowndividend’ by saving lives

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

cm

yk

cm

yk

P12

cm

yk

cm

yk

yy

sportsSATURDAY | JANUARY 30 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

LIVERPOOL DOWN SPURS 3-1 ASSOCIATED PRESS

L o n d o n , Ja n 2 9 : Ro b e r t oFirmino ended Liverpool’s 483-minute goal drought in thePremier League to set the cham-pions on their way to a 3-1 winover Tottenham and revive theirfaltering title defense.

Trent Alexander-Arnold andSadio Mane also netted as Liverpoolended a five-game winless run in aleague it dominated so resound-ingly last season.

“We were really up for the game,everyone was at it,” Alexander-Arnold said. “No one put too muchof a foot wrong and it was an un-believable performance from thelads.”

The victory, which lifts Liverpoolinto fourth place, started with VARruling out an opener for Tottenhamwhen Son Heung-min was adjudgedto be offside.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg reducedthe deficit to 1-2 with a powerfulstrike shortly after Alexander-Arnold scored at the start of the sec-ond half, but the Liverpool rightback set up Mane for the third thatsealed the win.

While Liverpool moved withinfour points of leader ManchesterCity, Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham areeight points adrift in sixth after

their first defeat in 2021, albeit witha game in hand.

And Mourinho faces an anxiouswait to discover the extent of HarryKane’s injury after the striker twicewent down in the first half clutch-ing his left ankle before being re-placed at the interval.

“He is injured in both ankles,”Mourinho said. “He said to com-pete with one pain he probablycould, but both — it was very painfuland very sore and he couldn’t. Hejust couldn’t. He is a guy with agood sacrifice spirit, he can fightagainst pain, but it was difficultfor him.”

There are problems at the backtoo for the north London club, whichis in danger of failing to qualifyfor the Champions League for asecond consecutive season afterreaching the final in 2019 — losingto Liverpool.

Liverpool was forced to play mid-fielder Jordan Henderson at centerback due to injuries and also lost JoelMatip at halftime with ankle liga-ment damage.

But it was Tottenham’s backthree looking more fragile, “Wewere punished by our individualmistakes,” Mourinho said. “It’snothing new for us.”

How different, though, this gamemight have gone had Son not been

marginally offside when he was re-leased by Kane before scoring.

Liverpool was more threateninggoing forward after that, with Manetesting Hugo Lloris with tame shotsbefore setting up the opener in thefourth minute of stoppage time atthe end of the first half.

Firmino tapped in after Manepassed across the face of goal,scoring Liverpool’s first leaguegoal since December 27. It wasclear from Mourinho’s post-matchcomments that it was a tense at-mosphere in the dressing room athalftime.

“It is the mood of a team that isdifficult to accept that you are los-ing,” Mourinho said. “It’s a moodwhere people are not happy. Butthen we have to move on.”

But Liverpool doubled theirlead two minutes into the sec-ond half when Lloris spilledMane’s shot into the path ofAlexander-Arnold.

Tottenham threatened an im-mediate comeback when Hojbjergpowered in a shot from outside thearea. There was another break forTottenham when Mohamed Salah’sgoal was ruled out because Firminowas adjudged to have handled in thebuildup despite Eric Dier grap-pling the Brazilian.

But Liverpool restored their two-goal cushion in the 65th whenAlexander-Arnold’s long cross cameoff Joe Rodon and fell for Mane tostrike into the roof of the net.

Sadio Mane strikes from the left for Liverpool’s third goal against Tottenham in London, Thursday

Harry Kane lies on the ground holding his left ankle in pain following a rash tackle from a Liverpool player

Bowl ‘best ball’ toKohli & co as oftenas possible: ThorpePRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Chennai, Jan 29: Such is the qual-ity of the Indian batting line upthat England bowlers will need tobowl their best balls repeatedly ifthey want to put the hosts, led bytheir peerless skipper Virat Kohli,under any kind of pressure duringthe upcoming Test series, reckonsbatting coach Graham Thorpe.

Since his horrendous show in anaway series in England in 2014,Kohli has demolished England at-tack both at home (2016) and away(2018) although the team had con-trasting results in both series.

Asked if the bowling unit ledby James Anderson has any specificplans for the Indian captain, the for-mer England left-hander said, “Weknow that he is a fantastic playerand he has shown that for manyyears now. Virat is in one of that bat-ting order which understands homeconditions very well.”

“The key for our bowling attackwill be to bowl our ‘best ball’ asoften as we can. I don’t think we canask for anything more from ourspinners and seamers. We need tohave runs on the board and then

having the Indian batting orderunder pressure will really be the keyfor us. To take the game deep willbe an important aspect for England,”Thorpe said.

The Indian bowling is no longerabout spinners weaving magic onrank turners and Thorpe said thatthey are well aware about howrounded this current home team at-tack is.

“The one thing about the Indianbowling attack is, it’s not just aboutspin. I suppose their seam attackis also strong and so from thatpoint of view it’s not to just getside-tracked completely in into thespin side of things as well.”

The challenge posed by bothJasprit Bumrah and RavichandranAshwin can be a tough one but thebatting coach understands that abalance needs to be created.

“Indian bowling has developedinto a very good attack and we arevery aware of that. When you cometo the sub-continent you will haveto deal with spin. More so withIndian attack, we are aware. Thetraining time (three days) will beused to strike a fine balance prac-tising both.”

10-man Gaurs holdsloppy East BengalAGENCIES

Goa, Jan 29: A 10-man FC Goahold East Bengal to a 1-1 draw in theirIndian Super League (ISL) encounterat the Fatorda Stadium, Friday. IgorAngulo (39th) scored the opening goalfor Goa while Danny Fox (65th)equalised for the home team.

The Gaurs playmaker Edu Bediawas sent off with a second yellowas he made an unnecessary challengefrom behind on Anthony Pilkingtonto bring him down. Goa are at thethird spot while East Bengal sit10th as both teams shared spoils.

It couldn’t have any interestingstart to a match as East Bengalwere awarded a penalty in the 19thsecond of the game. The Kolkata-based side attacked from the wordgo and it paid off immediately.

However, Pilkington missed thepenalty as Dheeraj Moirangthemdived to the opposite side. ButPilkington hit the ball far off thepost. It actually proved to be a costlymiss considering the final scoreline.

Recovering from a nervy start,Goa tried to build momentum andalmost struck the first goal. Angulocollected the ball following a bril-liant through ball from a team-mate and strided forward. However,Debjit Majumder got himself wellbehind the ball to deny Gaurs awell-deserved lead.

Goa continued to press East Bengaland Angulo yet again failed to breakthe deadlock. In the 23rd, Jorge Ortizmade a brilliant run from the mid-field in front of the goal as the clear-ance from the East Bengal defend-ers fell for Angulo in space. He struckwell, but Debjit was at the right po-sition to hold the ball.

After a few missed opportuni-

ties, Angulo finally broke the dead-lock in the 38th. It was a sublimefinish from the Spaniard as AlbertoNoguera played a delicious throughball and Angulo skipped past Debjitto finish it at the back of net.

It was all going good for theGaurs until two mistakes within twominutes changed the course of thegame. First East Bengal equalisedin the 64th before Edu Bedia saw redthe very next minute.

A brilliant ball was whipped inthe box from Pilkington. However,Dheeraj couldn’t hold on to it andspilled it, only for Fox to send ithome without any mistake.

The situation turned worse forthe Gaurs when Bedia was givenmarching orders the very nextminute. It was poor from Bedia asthe Gaurs skipper made an un-necessary challenge from behindon Pilkington to bring him down.

In the 74th, Dheeraj pulled off abrilliant save. Narayan Das deliv-ered a cross for Harmanpreet Singhas he held on to it on the bounce andthen pulled the trigger but Dheerajdived to his right to deny EastBengal the winner.

East Bengal were were unluckythree minutes later when theywere denied a penalty. BrightEnobakhare made a brilliant solorun inside the box as SaviourGama got a clear nudge on him in-side the box. East Bengal appealedfor a penalty but the refereethought otherwise.

Despite having a few morechances, East Bengal couldn’t findthe winner as the match ended 1-1. Pilkington must be cursing onlyhimself for the missed penalty inthe very first minute of the gamewhich eventually cost them a win.

BWF WORLD TOUR FINALS: SRIKANTH HEADS HOME WINLESS Odisha FC tradeMarcelinho forATKMB’s Inman

Surprised to be named for Padma Shri: Sudha PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, Jan 29: She thought her-self to be worthy of it but veteranlong distance runner Sudha Singhwas nonetheless surprised whenher name figured in this year’sPadma Shri award winners’ list.

The 34-year-old from Raebareli inUttar Pradesh joined an elite list oftrack-and-field Padma winners com-prising the likes of Milkha Singh,Anju Bobby George and PT Ushaamong others. She was nominatedfor this year’s award by the UttarPradesh government.

“I was a bit surprised when I gotthe news that I have been awardedPadma Shri. I deserved to win itbut you never know you will get itor not. I am grateful to the UP chiefminister for nominating me,” Sudhatold this agency in an interview.

“I have won a lot of laurels atthe international level since a bronzein 2005. I feel the award is recogni-tion of my hard work and dedica-tion in the last 15 years. Surely, win-

ning the award is one of the biggestmoments in my life,” she said fromBangalore’s Sports Authority ofIndia (SAI) Centre, where she iscurrently training.

“When I started my athletics ca-reer, I never thought I would winPadma Shri one day. It has been anamazing journey.”

Sudha has taken part in twoOlympics, three Asian Games, twoWorld Championships and fourAsian Championships, mostly in3000m steeplechase, an event she heldthe national record before it was bro-ken by Lalita Babar.

Her best achievement to date isthe gold she won in the 2010 AsianGames. She won a silver in thesame event in the 2018 edition ofthe Games. She also won a goldin the 2017 Asian Championshipsbesides three silver medals (2009,2011 and 2013).

“After the (team) bronze in AsianCross Country Championships in2005, I got a job in Western Railwaysbut after some time I got indica-

tions that I will have to keep winningmedals if I have to continue the job.

“I did not want to lose the jobwhich would have led to leavingathletics also. But after that I wongold in National Games in 2007 andNational Championships (in 2007,

2008, 2009) before claiming a silverin 2009 Asian Championships. Afterthat there was no fear of losing myjob,” she said.

Almost all her internationalachievements have come in 3000msteeplechase but Sudha is aiming

for her third Olympics in marathon,an event in which she has repre-sented the country in the 2015 WorldChampionships.

“I want to qualify for the TokyoOlympics in marathon, 3000m stee-plechase is not my priority nowas far as Olympics qualificationis concerned. I am going to run inthe New Delhi Marathon in Marchand there I am targeting Olympicsqualification.

“I also want to break the nationalrecord, let’s see,” said Sudha whois going to give Mumbai MarathonFebruary 28 a miss. “I want to startmy season a bit late and moreover,it will be warmer in Mumbai bythat time as compared to Delhi.”

She has a marathon personalbest of 2:34.56 sec which she hadclocked while finishing 10th in the2019 Mumbai Marathon. The TokyoOlympics qualification time is 2:29.30while the national record standsat 2:34:43 in the name of OP Jaisha.

Shudha has been runningmarathons since 2015.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Bangkok, Jan 29: Already out ofcontention for the knockouts, WorldChampion PV Sindhu ended hercampaign with a consolation winat the BWF World Tour Finals butKidambi Srikanth had a disap-pointing finish after yet anotherclose defeat, here Friday.

Sindhu, the Olympic silver medal-list, notched up a 21-18, 21-15 win overWorld No.13 Por npaweeChochuwong in her third and finalmatch after suffering defeats in thefirst two days.

“Well I think it was a good finish.Actually until yesterday I still hada chance. Unfortunately the matchwith Tai went the other way, so I did-n’t have a chance. Otherwise, it wasa good game,” Sindhu said.

Srikanth, however, went down21-12, 18-21, 19-21 to Hong Kong’sNG Ka Long Angus in what wasyet another narrow defeat in a three-game thriller.

Sindhu opened up a 9-5 lead earlyon before entering the interval witha two-point advantage. Chochuwongmanaged to turn the tables at 15-14but a determined Sindhu ensuredthere was no hiccups as she claimedthe opening game.

In the second, Sindhu dishedout a dominating game as she

jumped to a 6-0 lead and then keptmoving ahead, keeping her rivalat bay to seal the contest withoutmuch ado.

“For any athlete, losing two games

is going to be hard to come backstronger to, but I think it’s very im-portant from these wins to comeback stronger and believe in your-self. I just played my game after

yesterday’s upset,” she said.“Today is a new day and a fresh

start. These three tournamentshaven’t gone as I had expected andthere’s been a lot to learn. After along gap, I was very excited to beback on court, I think it’s been a goodthing. Now I’ll go back home, behappy, take some rest and comeback stronger.”

In men’s singles, both the playersentered the inconsequential matchwith a 2-2 head-to-head record.World No.14 Srikanth once againclaimed the opening game afterfighting his way from 4-6 down buthis opponents, placed eighth in theBWF rankings, rallied to win thenext two games and seal the issuein his favour.

In the second game, Srikanthwas up 13-10 at one stage but could-n’t capitalise as his rival made a suc-cessful comeback.

In the decider, Srikanth was leftto do the catching up job through-out before he held a slender 15-14lead. They were tied 19-19 but theIndian once again failed to go thedistance. The men’s singles GroupB match lasted one hour and fiveminutes.

Srikanth’s hopes of making thesemifinals were dashed after hehad lost to World No.12 Wang TzuWei Thursday.

Sindhu bows out with consolation winPOST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: OdishaFC reached an agreement withATK Mohun Bagan (ATKMB) overa loan swap deal of Brazilian for-ward Marcelo Leite Pereira(Marcelinho) and Australia-bornScottish midfielder Brad Inman.The 29-year-old footballer will nowplay for the Bhubaneswar-basedside on loan until the end of the sea-son of the ISL.

After starting his youth careerwith Premier League clubNewcastle United, Inman repre-sented other English clubs CreweAlexandra, Peterborough Unitedand Rochdale before moving toAustralia to join Brisbane Roarin 2019. The former Scotland youthteam member made seven ap-pearances for ATKMB in the on-going season.

Graham Thorpe (R) with England skipper Joe Root

Brad Inman

Danny Fox (2nd from L) is congratulated by his East Bengal teammates afterscoring the equaliser against FC Goa, Friday PIC: ISL