First India-Mumbai Edition-4th November 2022

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OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR, NEW DELHI & MUMBAI

MUMBAI l FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022 l Pages 14 l 3.00 RNI TITLE NO. MAHENG/2022/14652 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 177

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MUMBAI | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022

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MUMBAI l FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022 l Pages 14 l 3.00 RNI TITLE NO. MAHENG/2022/14652 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 177

CAN’T REPRESENT BIZMAN, HE IS NOT TRACEABLE: ADV OF MALLYA TO SC

New Delhi: A lawyer representing Vijay Mallya on Thursday requested the Supreme Court to be relieved from the case concerning the fugitive businessman as he was untraceable and not responding to any communication from his lawyer.

OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR, NEW DELHI & MUMBAI

BSE SENSEX 60,836.41

ARMY FOILS INFILTRATION BID, KILLS 3 TERRORISTS IN J&K Poonch: The Indian Army has foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch sector by eliminating three terrorists, according to sources. The Indian Army on Thursday observed suspicious movement of some individuals along the LoC in Poonch sector.

69.68 | NSE NIFTY 18,052.70

30.15

FACEBOOKPARENT META’S INDIA HEAD AJIT STEPS DOWN

Bengaluru: Facebook-parent Meta Platforms Inc said on Thursday that its India head, Ajit Mohan, has stepped down after 4 years, while a media report said he would join rival Snap Inc. Manish Chopra will take over on an interim capacity.

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WATCH THE NATIONAL HINDI NEWS CHANNEL BHARAT24 - JAHAN TAK BHARAT WAHAN TAK BHARAT24

BATTLE FOR GUJ ‘RAJ’!

Gujarat election dates announced

Moni Sharma New Delhi: The Election Commission on Thursday announced the schedule for assembly election in Gujarat.

The state, where the BJP is currently in power, goes to the hustings on December 1.

Assembly polls in Gujarat will be held in two phases. The Legislative Assembly of Gujarat is 182-members strong.

This time, the election will witness a three-cornered contest between the ruling BJP, the Congress and the AAP. Jagat Prakash Nadda @JPNadda I welcome the announcement of the Gujarat Assembly elections by the Election Commission. Under the leadership of respected Prime Minister Shri @ narendramodi ji, BJP will again form a double engine government in Gujarat with a huge majority and will work with a commitment to fulfill the aspirations of the people for the next 5 years.

BELOW IS A DETAIL BREAKDOWN OF THE ELECTION SCHEDULE TO BE HELD IN GUJ: PHASE 1 l Date of issue of notification: November 5 l Last date for filing nomination: November 14 l Date of the scrutiny: November 15 l Last date of withdrawal of the nomination: November 17 CEC Rajiv Kumar with EC Anup Chandra Pandey and others at a press conference to announce the schedule of Legislative Assembly elections in Gujarat, at Akashvani Bhawan on Thursday.

ABOUT LAST 2 ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS Gujarat TOTAL SEATS

182

POLL DAYS PHASE 1: DEC 1 (89 SEATS) PHASE 2: DEC 5 (93 SEATS) COUNTING: DEC 8

2012

2017

Seats Won (vote share%)

Seats Won (vote share%)

l BJP: 115 seats (47.8%) l INC: 61 seats (38.9%) l Others: 6 seats (13.3% )

l BJP: 99 seats (49%) l INC: 77 seats (41.4%) l Others: 6 seats (9.6% )

PM TO CAMPAIGN IN GUJARAT ON SUNDAY, 1ST VISIT AFTER POLL DATES ANNOUNCED

PM Modi will head to Gujarat on November 6, his first visit since the announcement of poll dates for his home state.

The PM will address rallies in Bhavnagar, Surendranagar and Valsad. BJP has been in power in Gujarat since 1998.

PHASE 2 l Date of issue of notification: November 10 l Last date for filing nomination: November 17 l Date of scrutiny: November 18 l Last date of withdrawal of nomination: November 21

BJP WOULD RETAIN POWER IN GUJ: SHAH HM Amit Shah last month predicted that the BJP would retain power in the 182-member Gujarat assembly with a twothirds majority.

Don’t spare corrupt and don’t be defensive: Modi New Delhi (ANI): Showing unflinching support to anti-corruption agencies, PM Narendra Modi on Thursday said they need not be defensive while tackling graft even when some people with vested interests keep hollering & maligning them.

Addressing the ‘Vigilance Awareness Week’, PM exhorted the panel, other agencies and officers to ensure that no corrupt person is spared no matter how powerful the individual may be. He said it is the responsibility of organisations like CVC that no corrupt person gets “political or social refuge”. He said during his long tenure as head of govt, he has gone through mud-slinging & abuses, but people stand with you when you walk on path of honesty.

SC junks plea to rename Bombay HC

install an electronic lock in his cabin located in a government building!

Incidentally, this particular kind of lock was hitherto only used by ministers or big industrialists or those who felt danger to their lives, leading to speculation that Kamble might be worried about the ripples of recent developments in the state’s political circles.

New Dehi (FIB): The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking directions to change the name of the Bombay High Court to Maharashtra High Court. A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Vikram Nath refused to entertain the petition, filed by VP Patil, who had served as a judge for 26 years, saying these are issues for lawmakers to decide.

Ministers PSK, Mahesh Joshi face-off First India Bureau Jaipur: Ministers of Gehlot govt have now come face to face in matter of filling ACR for the functioning of state bureaucracy.

On statement of Pratap Singh Khachariawas that bureaucracy was uncontrollable, Dr Mahesh Joshi said that I have all the rights in my dept.

PSK targeted & advised Joshi he should not speak on such issues openly.

Harshdeep Kamble

lock in his cabin which will open or close only when “Kamble Sahib” wants--the first time that a principal secretary has felt the need to

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday termed ED’s summons to him as a weapon used by the BJP to target him and said if he has committed a serious offence then he should be directly arrested. ED on Wednesday asked JMM leader to appear for questioning at its regional office in Ranchi on Thursday but Soren skipped ED summons

CM Hemant Soren skips the ED summons and speaks to party workers in Ranchi on Thursday.

and attended National Tribal Dance Festival & Chhattisgarh’s statehood celebration event called ‘Rajyotsava 2022’.

ANDHERI (EAST) ASSEMBLY SEAT BYPOLL

PARTIES GIVE ‘WALKOVER’ TO SENA’S RUTUJA LATKE, 31.74% VOTER TURNOUT RECORDED! Low voter turnout has major political implications First India Bureau Mumbai: Thursday’s bypoll to the the Andheri (East) Assembly seat in Mumbai saw a low voter turnout of just 31.74%, even as polling went off peacefully, election officials said.

Voting for the by-election, necessitated due to the death of sitting Shiv

Voters queue up outside Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj school to cast their votes for the Andheri (East) Assembly bypolls, in Mumbai on Thursday. —PHOTO BY ANI

Sena MLA Ramesh Latke in May, was held at 256 booths between 7 am and 6 pm and it is

widely perceived that Latke’s wife--Rutuja Latke--whom the Uddhav Thackery faction

fielded, will win.

Interestingly, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress, both constituents of the MVA, supported Latke’s candidature and did not field any candidates of their own, while the seven candidates that did contest against Latke were all independents as even BJP withdrew from the election.

Political observers have attributed the low turnout of voters to the fact that parties gave a

‘PROJECTS OF `2L CR FOR MAHA APPROVED’ Mumbai: PM Narendra Modi on Thursday said the central govt has given a nod to projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore for Maharashtra. His statement comes in the wake of Shinde-Fadnavis govt coming under the Opposition’s fire after some proposed bigticket projects moved out of Maha to poll-bound Gujarat and some other states.

Every corrupt person should be held accountable by the society.

It is important to build such an atmosphere. We are seeing that paeans are being sung for people already proven corrupt. People calling themselves honest do not feel the shame to go and get photographed with such corrupt people. This situation is not good for the Indian society.

—Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

Top babu locks self in own Why send summons? office: Quirk or safety measure? arrest me: Soren to ED Mumbai: Call it an action borne out of quirk or the need of the hour due to the ongoing political face-off between the state government and the opposition, a Principal Secretary of the Maharashtra government has taken a decision that has raised eyebrows.

Harshdeep Kamble, Principal Secretary of Industries Department has fitted an automatic

PM Narendra Modi during programme marking Vigilance Awareness Week of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), in Delhi on Thursday.

Also seen here is Dr Jitendra Singh, Suresh N Patel and others.

walkover to Latke, keeping in mind the emotional connect of voters with Latke who lost her husband and contested the bypolls in his memory. Word is that since the voters knew their preferred party was not in the contest, they did not cast their votes. Hence the low turnout.

Returning officer Prashant Patil told reporters that the voting took place smoothly and counting of votes will be held on November 06.

ALLAH GAVE ME NEW LIFE AND I WILL FIGHT BACK...

Imran Khan injured in a shooting incident in Wazirabad on Thursday.

Imran Khan survives assassination attempt

l Imran Khan has been shot and lightly wounded in leg, in an attack on protest march in Wazirabad l 1 killed, several other supporters injured; 1 of the gunmen, who attacked Imran arrested soon First India Bureau Wazirabad (Pakistan): A gunman opened fire at a campaign truck carrying Pakistan’s former PM Imran Khan in Wazirabad district on T hursday, wounding him in both his legs. In Accused Naved attack 1 person has reportedly died and 7 including PTI Senator Faisal Javed have been wounded. Imran Khan was soon after taken to hospital in Lahore where his condition is stated to be out of danger.

Accused: Shot as he is misleading people One of the gunmen, who attacked Imran Khan, was arrested, officials said. In his confession, he said, “Imran Khan is misleading people.” Accused Naved was caught firing at Khan in Wazirabad.

HIGHLIGHTS z The attack is completely unacceptable: Canada PM z Khan stable and conscious, said his doctor z A man tried to stop a suspected assailant z Violence erupted in several cities of Pakistan z We’re closely keeping an eye on it & continue to monitor devp: India

NEWS MUMBAI | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022

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POLITICAL BACKLASH

‘Shinde govt was formed to serve Guj, not Maha’ NCP leader Jayant Patil slammed the Eknath Shindeled state govt over the loss of big-ticket projects

‘FLOOD’ OF ANNOUNCEMENTS, ‘DROUGHT’ ON EXECUTION FRONT

First India Bureau Pune: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Jayant Patil slammed the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government over the loss of big industrial projects, accusing it of “serving Gujarat”.

Speaking at a protest organized by the NCP here on Thursday to demand resumption of police recruitment, Patil said that a group like Tata choosing another state for its project was an embarrassment for the government.

“Projects are being shifted to Gujarat and the chief minister and deputy chief minister are mute spectators.

Had the Vendanta-Foxconn project come to the state, it would have generated three to four lakh

Nationalist Congress Party leader Jayant Patil. —FILE PHOTO

jobs directly or indirectly,” he said.

The former state finance minister further added, after VendataFoxconn, Tata consortium and Airbus’ military aircraft project too went to Gujarat.

The Shinde-led government came to power after the MVA government collapsed in June this year. “Conspiracy was hatched to bring a new government in the state so that the (new) government would serve Gujarat more than Maharashtra,” the NCP

leader further claimed.

Patil also accused the state government of creating hurdles in the implementation of decisions taken by the MVA government. “We had taken the decision of police recruitment and the present government needs to only implement it, but they are creating hurdles,” he alleged.

About the Shinde government restoring the general consent for CBI to probe cases in the state, Patil said state police are capable of probing any matter. “It shows

Mumbai: The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena on Thursday criticized the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government for what it claimed handing over only 2,000 recruitment letters at an event here and said under the current dispensation, there is a “flood” of announcements, but “drought” when it comes to their implementation.

Speaking to the media here, Lok Sabha MP Arvind Sawant— spokesperson for the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray)—said, “It was announced (by the state government) that 75,000 recruitment letters will be handed over to job aspirants.

However, in reality, only 2,000 appointment letters were handed over.” the government does not have confidence in the Maharashtra police,” he added.

2 agencies appointed to handle recruitment for state govt jobs First India Bureau Mumbai: The state government has appointed two professional agencies, including TCS (Tata Consultancy Services), to carry out recruitment in its various departments to avoid “fraud”, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said here on Thursday.

He was speaking at an event where recruitment letters were handed over to some candidates who have got government jobs.

TCS and the Union government agency IBPS which carries out large-scale recruitment for public sector banks and Railways have

been nominated to carry out the next round of recruitment for state government jobs, Fadnavis said.

“The government will announce recruitment for 8,500 posts in the next week, which will be followed by recruitment for 18,500 posts in the police department. In one year, we will start the recruitment process for 75,000 posts,” he added.

Government departments have been asked to announce vacancies as per the reservation norms to avoid confusion later, he said.

In the past, recruitment had to be put on hold as poor preparations led to litigation, Fadnavis noted.

The government will announce recruitment for 8,500 posts in the next week, which will be followed by recruitment for 18,500 posts in the police department.

In one year, we will start the recruitment process for 75,000 posts.

—Devendra Fadnavis, Dy CM

“The state governments have also made mistakes in the past, hence we decided to hire professional agencies and avoid those same mistakes,” he said.

The state government will also arrange recruitment drives for jobs in the private sector, Fadnavis said.

CM Eknath Shinde and DyCM Devendra Fadnavis listen to a virtual address by PM Modi at an event to handover appointment letters to Phase 1 candidates under state-level employment fair, at Yashwantrao Chavan Centre, in Mumbai on Thursday. — PHOTO BY ANI

04

MLAs’ fight ploy to divert attention: Nana Patole

Nana Patole

First India Bureau Aurangabad: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole has said that the conflict between two MLAs supporting the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra was being played out to divert attention from issues plaguing the people.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Patole also claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling dispensation were not allowing freedom to the media to report facts.

In an apparent reference to the tussle between MLAs Bacchu Kadu and Ravi Rana, he said, “The ongoing conflict is to divert the attention of people from the problems of the state.

Farmers, small businessmen are committing suicide. The BJP is diverting people’s attention from these issues.”

Paddy procurement to start next week in Gondia, Bhandara Forest dept holds Gondia (PTI): The paddy procurement process in Gondia and Bhandara districts will likely begin on a regular basis from November 07, a senior official said on Thursday.

Gondia, which is also known as the “Rice City”

due to its innumerable paddy processing mills, and Bhandara are major belts for the crop, with more than five lakh farmers involved and cultivation area exceeding 3.36 lakh hectares.

“We are expecting the regular paddy procurement process to start

NOTICES ISSUED TO TWO TMC STAFF FOR NEGLECTING DUTIES

Alibag: Police have registered a case in connection with a protest march held in Raigad district against the land acquisition process for the proposed ‘bulk drug park’ project, an official said. The march, which was attended by hundreds of farmers, was held without the relevant permissions and also violated an order of the collector banning the assembly of more than five persons at a time.

Thane: The civic body here issued show-cause notices to two health department employees for alleged dereliction of duties on Thursday after Additional Municipal Commissioner Sandeep Malavi visited civic health centres and reviewed the work there, an official said. Incidentally, Thane Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar has issued an order asking staff to attend duties on time.

MUMBAI NARCOTICS CONTROL BUREAU TO GET 2 SNIFFER DOGS TO HELP IN FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS Mumbai: The Mumbai zonal unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) will get two sniffer dogs and three handlers in the next few days to help detect narcotics and synthetic drugs and nab drug couriers, NCB Zonal Director Amit Ghawate said on Thursday. “We will get the canines in the next few days and the issue of allotting space for their lodging will be resolved soon,” he said, adding, “We will use these dogs to sniff and seize drugs at Mumbai Airport, Air Cargo Complex, Foreign post office, Nhava Sheva Container Terminal in Navi Mumbai.”

MAHA BJP WOMEN’S WING NAMES CHITRA WAGH AS NEW CHIEF

FIRE BREAKS OUT IN SCRAP GODOWN IN PUNE, NONE INJURED

Mumbai: The Maharashtra BJP on Thursday appointed its vice president Chitra Wagh as the head of the state unit’s ‘mahila morcha’, state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced. Wagh succeeds Uma Khapre who was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Incidentally, Wagh was chief of the NCP’s state women’s wing before she joined the BJP in July 2019.

Pune: A fire broke out in a godown storing scrap materials like plastic, tin as well as cylinders in Sopan Nagar area on the Pune-Ahmednagar road on Thursday. No one was injured in the blaze, which started at noon and was doused an hour later in an operation. “Scrap material and LPG cylinders were stocked at the godown. The LPG cylinders exploded,” the fire brigade official said.

Bhandara but this figure might rise as the paddy production may be on the higher side,” DMO Ajay Bisne said.

The minimum support price has been set at Rs2,040 per quintal for common grade and Rs2,060 for grade A paddy, the officials added.

The procurement targets for Bhandara and Gondia stand at 41 lakh and 39 lakh quintals.

The Tribal Development Corporation has also set up 44 procurement centres, comprising 41 in Gondia and three in Nagpur’s Tamtek.

talks on moving 2 tigresses to Gondia

A SHIP WITH A VIEW

CRUCIAL READ PROTEST AGAINST BULK DRUG PARK PROJECT: CASE FILED

from November 07. This year the process was delayed due to rains. This season, 110 procurement centres have been approved for the district,” Gondia District Marketing Officer Manoj Bajpayee said.

“There are 46 procurement centres for

Decommissioned naval ship to be put on display at Durgadi Fort First India Bureau Thane: Decommissioned naval vessel ‘Fast Attack Craft T-80’ will be displayed at Durgadi Fort to commemorate the 365th anniversary of the establishment of Maratha Navy, as per a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Indian Navy and Smart Kalyan Dombivli Development Corporation Limited (SKDCL).

The MoU was signed on Wednesday, said an official of state agency SKDCL. The decommissioned boat will be displayed permanently at Durgadi Fort—a historical structure atop a hill near Kalyan, overlooking the Thane creek, and an important naval post of the past—the official said.

The T-80 memorial will be part of the Naval Gallery Campus at SKDCL’s Riverfront Development Project, with an objective to spread sea consciousness among people, the SKDCL offi-

Indian Naval Fast Attack Craft (IN FAC) T-80 was decommissioned last year after 23 years of service. —FILE PHOTO

cial said.

The INFAC T-80, built

by M/s IAl Ramta in Israel, was commissioned on June 24, 1998, and decommissioned on October 07, 2021, after 23 years in service.

The vessel was specifically designed for shallow water operations, and to provide security to Mumbai High Offshore Development Area and the coast of Maharashtra.

“Even after decommissioning, T-80 will continue serving the

country and inspire Indian youth visiting the Naval Museum at Durgadi Fort, Kalyan. The memorial will also showcase the state’s rich maritime history, especially the roles played in it by the Maratha Navy and Indian Navy,” the Navy said in a statement.

In 2001, the Indian Navy had put up for display the decommissioned warship INS Prabal at Esselworld, Mumbai, and converted it into a naval monument.

The T-80 display will commemorate the 365th anniversary of the establishment of Maratha Navy Earlier this year, the Navy and the Uttar Pradesh government signed an MoU to convert INS Gomati, a Godavari-class guided-missile frigate, into an open-air museum on the banks of River Gomati in Lucknow.

First India Bureau Gondia: Following on the Union government’s recommendation that the big cats be moved from high density tiger population areas to low density areas, forest department officials in Gondia district held two meetings to discuss a plan to translocate two tigresses from Bramhapuri in Chandrapur district to the Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve.

Officials held two meetings to assess the preparedness and conditions for the proposed translocation, on Tuesday. One of these was an online meeting, which

Big cats will be moved from Bramhapuri to the Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve also saw participation from representatives of the Wildlife Institute of India. The second meeting was held at the Van Bhavan in Gondia, officials said.

“We discussed the preparedness, field conditions, technicalities, conflict possibility, local issues, need to create awareness among locals, their monitoring, installation of camera traps, among other things, ahead of the translocation,” he said.

55-YEAR-OLD WOMAN KILLED BY TIGER IN CHANDRAPUR DISTRICT

Chandrapur: Jaibai Tondare (55) was killed by a tiger on Thursday afternoon while she was engaged in farm work in Chandrapur’s Torgaon (Buj) village, some 128km from the district headquarters, a forest official said. “A spot inspection was done and the kin of the deceased has been given Rs20,000 as initial compensation,” Chief Conservator of Forests Prakash Lonkar said. This is the third death in tiger attacks since last month.

MAHARASHTRA MUMBAI | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022

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1-year-old girl rescued from traffickers, reunited with mom Mumbai police personnel have rescued 487 missing kids in 45 days as part of their special drive, Operation Reunite

ON A MISSION

First India Bureau Mumbai: A one-yearold girl kidnapped from the city four days ago has been rescued and two women have been arrested for allegedly trying to sell the toddler in Telangana.

In addition, 487 other children have been rescued by the Mumbai police force in 45 days, as part of a special drive called “Operation Reunite”.

“During the drive, we also rescued children whose missing complaints were not

Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar hands over the baby who had been taken from a footpath in the Santacruz area to her mother. —PHOTO BY BHUSHAN KOYANDE

found on records, not just those who had been reported as kidnapped or missing,” an official said.

Operation Reunite saw 230 boys and 257 girls being rescued between August 15 and September 30. Of these, only 68 boys and 135 girls had been reported

as missing. As many as 154 boys and 122 girls whose missing records were not present were also rescued, the official also said, adding that many of these children had already been reunited with their parents and efforts were on to do the same for the others.

The one-year-old girl had been abducted from Santacruz, a western suburb of Mumbai, on October 30, Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar told the press, adding that she was rescued from Solapur railway station in southern Maharashtra on Wednesday.

The two women—residents of Nehrunagar in Mumbai—who were later arrested had allegedly tried to sell her and failed, he also said.

The case was cracked by the Mumbai police’s crime branch with the help of Railway Protection Force (RPF), Phansalkar said.

For evading customs duty, 3 senior citizens fined `5.5 cr First India Bureau Mumbai: Three senior citizens, including two former Customs officials, were found guilty of customs duty evasion by a city court here on Wednesday, and were fined Rs5.50 crore in a 20-year-old case.

Economic offences have serious consequences for the country’s financial health, SU Wadgaonkar, Special Judge (CBI cases), said in his order.

The main accused, 71-year-old Toufiq Gaffar, was sentenced to seven years’ jail and told to pay Rs5.30 crore as fine.

“The accused (Gaffar) reaped the benefit of crime proceeds of Rs4.5 crore in 2000. Hence, he is held responsible for commission of economic offence and is liable to pay a fine amount commensurate with the wrongful loss sustained by the government in 2000,” the court said.

Assistant Commissioner of Export Orient-

Shut down vehicular traffic Under-construction structure in Belapur torn down by NMMC on Gokhale Bridge: BMC First India Bureau Mumbai: Motorists in Andheri are likely to face trying times, as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has asked police to immediately shut Gokhale Bridge for vehicular traffic.

Incidentally, local Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Ameet Satam had written to BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal on Tuesday about the eastwest road connector over Western Railway tracks in Andheri be-

ing in a “dangerous” condition.

“We have asked (traffic police) to shut down vehicular traffic on the bridge immediately,” confirmed Additional Municipal Commissioner P Velarasu, adding that civic officials will soon finalize alternate routes to provide relief to motorists.

MLA Satam, in his letter, said the work on the BMC portion of the bridge is nearing completion, while the segment above the railway tracks

Closure of the vital but dilapidated eastwest connector over Western Railway tracks is likely to cause traffic snarls was yet to start.

“As per a report of BMC consultant SCG Consultancy Services, the existing bridge is in an extremely dangerous condition and may lead to a mishap any moment and should be immediately closed down,” Satam said in the letter.

A part of the bridge across the tracks had collapsed in 2018, killing two. —FILE PHOTO

05

The accused (Gaffar) reaped the benefit of crime proceeds of Rs4.5 crore in 2000.

Hence, he is held responsible for commission of economic offence and is liable to pay a fine amount commensurate with the wrongful loss sustained by the government in 2000.

—Court

ed Units (EOU) Scheme, Customs, Vinayak Bhende (now 81 years old), was also convicted by the court, and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and fined Rs20 lakh. The court sentenced 71-year-old Vinay Kumar, then appraiser of the EOU, to one year in jail and ordered him to pay Rs5 lakh as fine.

According to the court, criminal misconduct by public servants Bhende and Kumar al-

lowed Gaffar to gain “pecuniary advantage”.

Gaffar was accused of creating a fictitious company through which he forged documents and registered for EOU. According to the CBI, he cleared 38 consignments of fabrics under the dutyfree EOU Scheme by submitting forged procurement certificates, and availed customs duty exemption of Rs4.25 crore.

CRUCIAL READ USD WORTH `4 CR SEIZED AT MUMBAI AIRPORT, 3 HELD

Mumbai: Customs officials have seized $4,97,000, worth Rs4.1 crore, at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here, an official said on Thursday.

Airport Customs intercepted three members of a family who were about to fly to Dubai on Wednesday morning based on a tip-off and found the currency hidden inside sarees, footwear and in a bag.

COPS ON HUNT FOR MAN ACCUSED OF RAPING 5-YEAR-OLD Thane: Rural police are looking for a 25-year-old man from Titwala in the district who is accused of raping a five-yearold girl. As per the First Information Report, the accused, who lived in the same neighbourhood as the child, called her to his house on Monday and allegedly raped her. After the girl’s family registered a case on Tuesday, the accused went underground.

MAN FALLS FROM 2ND FLOOR DURING FIGHT, DIES The Anti-Encroachment department of NMMC’s Belapur ward carried out a demolition drive against the unauthorized construction.

First India Bureau Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) demolished an under-construction illegal structure in Shabaz in Belapur.

The construction of the ground plus twostorey floor building was completed without any permission from the civic body. A notice was issued under section 54 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966 for the unauthorized construction and asked to remove themselves.

However, despite the notice being served, they did not remove the unauthorized construction.

The Anti-Encroachment department of NMMC’s Belapur ward carried out a demolition drive against the unauthorized construction in the presence of police officials with the help of labourers, electric hammer, and a gas cutter.

Meanwhile, Panvel Municipal Commissioner Ganesh Deshmukh has approved the first list of 3,076 hawkers— prepared by the City Hawkers’ Committee—

Panvel civic body has approved first list of 3,076 street vendors, who will be eligible to get a loan of Rs10,000

to resolve various issues of hawkers.

According to a senior official, the approved vendors will be eligible to get a loan of Rs10,000 in the first phase and later they will be given Rs20,000 after successful payment of the sanctioned first loan.

Thane: Sadique Ansari (26) fell to his death from the second floor of a building in Bhiwandi in Thane district during a fight with another person—who has now been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder—over water, the Nizampura police station official said on Thursday.

“Both fell down from the second floor passage of the building during a fight on Wednesday. Ansari died on the spot.

The accused is yet to be arrested as he is hospitalized due to injuries sustained in the fall, he added.

MSEDCL DETECTS 163 POWER THEFT CASES IN PALGHAR

WOMAN, LOVER, TWO OTHERS BOOKED FOR KILLING HER HUSBAND

Palghar: More than 160 power theft cases were detected in a twoday drive in Palghar by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd, an official said on Thursday. “We checked connections of 1,024 consumers. We detected 163 power theft cases and 11 cases of illegal power usage,” he said, adding, “Offenders will have to pay fines or face charges.”

Latur: A woman and her lover are among four persons booked for her husband’s murder, an official said on Thursday.

“The woman got her lover and two others to take her husband to a secluded place and strangle him to death on Tuesday night, as he had found out about her illicit relationship,” he said, adding, “The woman and her lover were held on Wednesday.”

‘New Omicron variants not causing significant rise in hospitalizations’ lll

Symptoms such as the loss of smell and taste have not been noticed in most patients. Many of them report only a cold and cough, which is why there isn’t a lot of testing or self-isolation, experts say

First India Bureau Mumbai: According to the experts, new variants of Omicron, XXB and BQ.1, have not led to any significant rise in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations in Maharashtra.

The symptoms caused by these strains of the virus are mild, they noted.

Speaking to the media, Infectious Disease Specialist at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, Dr Anita Mathew stated that a number of new patients are asymptomatic.

“Many people have incidental COVID-19. In

other words, they are visiting the hospital for other health conditions and test positive for the COVID-19 infection,” she said.

Dr Mathew further added symptoms such as the loss of smell and taste have not been noticed in many patients.

Many of them report cold and cough, which is why there isn’t a lot of testing or self-isolation.

She, however, stressed that vaccination against COVID-19 was still important. “One should be careful so that the risk of infecting others decreases,” she said.

According to the state

The chances of hospitalization and ICU admissions are low as the infections are mostly mild. There was no significant rise in cases in the last few weeks.

High-risk groups and elderly people should avoid going out to prevent getting infected, especially in crowded places. Wearing a mask is a must.

—Dr Laxman Jessani, Consultant, Infectious Diseases at Apollo Hospitals

health department, 17% more COVID-19 cases were recorded between October 10 and 16 against the preceding week (October 3-9). The rise was noticed mainly in Thane, Raigad and Mumbai, which are densely-populated dis-

tricts.

The department had also cautioned that COVID-19 cases could rise during the festive season and winters, citing new variants which have greater immune evasive ability.

Dr Vasanthapuram

Ravi, Virologist, Head, R&D, TATA Medical and Diagnostics (and Chairman of Karnataka Genomic Surveillance Committee) said the new strain of virus and the disease genotype were no different from Omicron in terms of se-

verity and asymptomatic status.

“It is a hybrid of two Omicron variants, 3.75 and BJ1, due to which it has a novel mutation in the spike proteins which makes it escape the antibodies generated by vaccines. This is why it is

causing infections even in vaccinated people,” he said.

But there is not much to worry due to its lessened severity though testing is still important. If a patient tests positive for Omicron, he or she can get treatment for Omicron infection, Dr Ravi said.

But if the test is negative for Omicron (despite symptoms) then one needs to immediately consult a physician in case there is a presence of a new variant or another virus like flu virus or RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), he added.

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INDIA GOES BEYOND EARTH (Exploring the Universe)

MUMBAI | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022

tian orbit in its maiden attempt. India became the fourth space agency in the world to reach Mars orbit, at the lowest cost.

GSLV: Another outstanding development by ISRO is the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

GSLV-D5 was the first successful flight using the indigenous cryogenic engine. Recently, LVM-3 created history by carrying highest payload of 5796 Kg and successfully placing 36 satellites into orbit of Earth.

Mission Shakti: In a maiden attempt, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully blasted a satellite with its anti-satellite (ASAT) missile on 27 March 2019. With this, India became the fourth country in the world to acquire antisatellite capabilities.

MAJ GEN CP SINGH (RETD)

The writer is a scholar soldier accredited with MA, MSc, LLB, MBA, M Phil (Def Mgt) and M Phil (International Strategic Affairs)

I The perception of space security threats are increasing with belligerent China at our doorsteps. In the future, India is likely to press ahead with its ambitious space goals to enhance India’s space capabilities and influence in global governance of space

ndia created history when the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully launched it’s heaviest rocket Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3)PSLV on 23 Oct 2022 carrying 36 satellites and launched them into space successfully.

This was the highest number of satellites ever launched from a launcher vehicle. 135 crore Indians including the President and the Prime Minister of India put their hands together to applaud the efforts of ISRO scientists.

In 1960, the thought of just inventing space technology was far-fetched and nearly impossible for Indians. Till the end of 20th Century, India was still perceived as a low cost, poor technology destination. We converted this threat into opportunity in 21st Century and today India is most economic launch-pad for space missions and satellites in the world.

BABY STEPS TO GIANT LEAPS Dr Vikram Sarabhai formed the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962. INCOSPAR

KERALA GUV PUTS VIJAYAN IN SPOT

then grew and became the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on August 15th, 1969.

The world looked up to applaud India’s feat when it achieved the rare success of launching record breaking 104 nano satellites into orbit, from a single rocket. It soon became the workhorse launcher for satellites, with a high success rate. As ISRO launched many satellites India established itself as a as a reliable and cost effective place in the world for satellite launches.

As we celebrate “Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”, let’s look back at this arduous space journey of 75 years and flag the discoveries that put India on the global map.

Aryabhatta: Named after the noted Indian astronomer, Aryabhatta was India’s first satellite which was launched on 19th April, 1975. This was an iconic moment in the history of India.

SLV-3: The Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 (SLV-3) was India’s first experimental satellite launch vehicle, which was a four-stage vehicle It was launched on July 18, 1980.

SLV-3 made India the sixth member of an exclusive club of space-faring nations.

PSLV: The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) was India’s third generation launch vehicle, equipped with liquid stages, launched in Oct 1994. It emerged as a

K

erala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and the Left Democratic Front government headed by CPM’s Pinarayi Vijayan have been having frequent run-ins over a variety of issues. Power to appoint vicechancellors of universities was one of them. The recent dispute is about the governor’s power to recommend the dismissal of a minister. In a letter he wrote to the chief minister on October 25, Khan asked him to take “constitutionally appropriate action” against Finance Minister KN Balagopal as he had ceased to enjoy the Governor’s pleasure. In other words Khan wanted the minister to be sacked. Balagopal earned Khan’s ire for a speech that “undermined the unity and integrity of India”.

India created history when the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully launched it’s heaviest rocket Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3) PSLV on 23 Oct 2022 carrying 36 satellites and launched them into space successfully. This was the highest number of satellites ever launched from a launcher vehicle. 135 crore Indians including the President and the Prime Minister of India put their hands together to applaud the efforts of ISRO scientistss

AEROSPACE DOMINANCE Dominance of space is the new buzz in the 21st Century.

It is perceived that future wars will witness aerospace as the new battlefield and hence the race to dominate space. An advancement in the space domain is seen as an lead demonstrator in military technology. Hence the ‘space race’ to dominate the space for future warfare.

In March 2019, India successfully tested an anti-satellite weapon. Perhaps more significantly, India established two new space agencies in 2019: the DSA and the DSRO DSA is organized to perform duties of integrating space assets from the three services and developing strategy for space dominance and space warfare, whenever it happens.

DSRO is a research organization geared toward facilitating devp of civilian space technology for military purposes.

reliable launch vehicle with 39 consecutively successful missions and the vehicle has launched 48 Indian satellites and 209 satellites for customers.

Chandrayaan-I: Chandrayaan-1 was India’s first moon mission launched in October 2008. The spacecraft completed over 3,400 orbits around the moon and indicated existence of water on the moon, for the first time.

Mangalyaan: The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) was India’s first interplanetary mission. This was launched on Nov 5, 2013. It made India proud to be the first nation in the world to reach the Mar-

CONCLUSION ISRO is developing Next Generation Launch Vehicles with reusable energy and capable of lifting payloads upto 10 tonnes. It’s likely to be ready by 2030. India also eyes setting up of own space station by 2035, a rare feat indeed. In the changing space security dynamics, India’s space program has developed credible launch capabilities. The country is working to increase its capabilities in the space domain to assert itself as a potent regional power in the future while pursuing its goal of becoming a global power.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and the Left Democratic Front government headed by CPM’s Pinarayi Vijayan have been having frequent run-ins over a variety of issues.

Power to appoint vicechancellors of universities was one of them. The recent dispute is about the governor’s power to recommend the dismissal of a minister

if “statements by individual ministers lower the dignity of office of the Governor”.

Khan’s assertion is based on Article 164 (1) of the Constitution which says that “Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor.”

Technically the Governor’s letter is in sync with the Constitution but legal experts argue that notwithstanding the constitutional provision, no governor in the history of post-Independence India has exercised this power unilaterally. The controversy is still simmering as Pinarayi Vijayan is refusing to sack his cabinet colleague. Khan, whom the state government calls an agent of the Centre, is not known to backtrack on a decision which he thinks is constitutionally and legally correct.

Vijayan faces a challenge.

Ever since Khan’s letter there has been a debate on whether the Governor is constitutionally empowered to sack a minister. Khan claimed in a tweet that he was empowered to “invite action including withdrawal of pleasure”

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

06

IN-DEPTH

IMRAN ESCAPES GUN ATTACK AFTER TAKING ON PAK’S ISI

F

ormer Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan survived a gun attack, which is being described as an assassination attempt, when his long convoy was heading towards Islamabad. The Tehreeke-Insaaf party leader’s popularity has been at its peak after his removal from office through a no-confidence vote. He has been boldly taking on the Shehbaz Sharif government, the Pakistan army and the “deep state” or the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan. His allegation that the ISI was behind the murder of a Pakistani journalist in Kenya forced the ISI chief to defend the agency in a rare public appearance.

Clearly the former prime minister has made too many powerful enemies, which is always a dangerous situation for any democratically elected political leader. Last month the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified him from contesting election for five years. But the popular cricketer-turned-politician was insistent on his demand for fresh polls in the country. Thursday’s development shows how dangerous Pakistan is for democracy.

SPIRITUAL SPEAK Faith and prayer both are invisible, but they make impossible things possible.

—Buddha

TOP TWEETS Nirmala Sitharaman @nsitharaman

“India has the conditions in place for an economic boom fueled by offshoring, investment in manufacturing, the energy transition, and the country’s advanced digital infrastructure,”Morgan Stanley Smriti Z Irani @smritiirani

Those who work for the betterment of the country need not live in guilt.

Only those people who have their own vested interests are shouting due to the attack on corruption, but the public is standing with the truth in this fight. l Vol 1 l Issue No. 177 l RNI TITLE NO.

MAHENG/2022/14652 Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Dangat Media Pvt Ltd, No.22, Dighe MIDC, Vishnu Nagar, TTC Industrial Area, Dighe, Navi Mumbai-400701.

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07

“DHAIRYA RAKHIYE” SAYS RAJNATH SINGH as crowd chants “We want POK”

Jaisinghpur: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said “Dhairya rakhiye,”(Be patient) as some people in his rally shouted they want Pakistan Occupied Kashmir(POK).

Addressing a rally here, Singh smiled and said ‘Dhairya rakhiye as some people chanted ‘we want POK’.

“Today, not one but six medical colleges have either opened or are being opened in the state of Himachal Pradesh.

AIIMS has too been opened here,” he said.

Rajnath Singh hailed the centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370 from J&K and said, “The incidents of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir have come down after the abrogation of Article 370. I want to assure you that terrorism will be eradicated from the country.”

Kerala: Guv challenges CM on political interference

New Delhi (ANI): Challenging Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, state Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Thursday said that he would resign if the CM showed one example of political interference by him in the appointments of the Vice-Chancellor. While rejecting the chief minister’s allegation of political interference in this particular case, Khan offered to resign if Vijayan succeeded in presenting an example.

“He is saying that I am doing this (action against VCs) to bring RSS people. If I have nominated even one person, not just of RSS, any person, using my authority, then I will resign. Will he (CM) be able to resign if he is not able to prove it?”

Khan said in Delhi.

ONLY VAJPAYEE AND MODI GAVE IMPORTANCE TO HIMACHAL: SINGH

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh being garlanded by BJP leaders during the public meeting for the upcoming Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, in Jaisinghpur on Thursday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

ROYALS HOLD SWAY IN LAND OF GODS; CONG BANKS ON THEM AS BJP RAISES PITCH AGAINST ‘RAJAS-RANIS’ Shimla (PTI): In the land of gods, where local deities are revered, royalty continues to command its own space in the politics of Himachal Pradesh. While kingdoms may have gone, many scions of the erstwhile royal families of the hill state are persisting at the hustings, in their bid to continue to “rule” albeit by the dint of the ballot now. Not that the royal charms have sustained the electoral weathers. The influence of royals in Himachal’s politics has waned over the years, as is clear from their depleting numbers in the poll fray this time. Only a handful of royal scions are contesting the state Assembly election to be held on November 12.

Solan (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said only two Prime Ministers including Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi gave importance to Himachal Pradesh like nobody else. Addressing a public meeting here, Singh said, “People of this country can evaluate well what earlier govts did and what present govt is doing. Cong has been in power for a long time postindependence. But only two PMs-Atal Bihari Vajpayee and PM Modi-gave importance to Himachal like nobody else”. He lauded PM Modi’s leadership and said that India’s prestige has increased on the global stage under his prime ministership.“No one can deny the fact that after PM Modi became PM, India’s prestige increased on the global stage. Today if India says anything on the global forum, other countries listen carefully to what India is saying,” he said.

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren dares ED, Centre to arrest him; skips visit to Agency Ranchi (ANI): Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren on Thursday challenged the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to arrest him instead of sending summons to him for questioning.

Soren was to appear before the ED in its regional office in Ranchi but he skipped his visit.

Addressing the party workers outside his official residence before leaving for Raipur to attend a tribal festival, Soren urged his party workers to be prepared for a long political fight against the the BJP-led Central government.

HEMANT SOREN SEEKS 3-WEEK TIME FROM ED

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren addressing party workers over ED summon to him in money laundering case, in Ranchi on Thursday.

JMM HOLDS MARCH IN RANCHI TO PROTEST AGAINST ED SUMMONS TO HEMANT SOREN Ranchi (PTI): Workers of Jharkhand’s ruling JMM on Thursday took out a rally here to protest against Enforcement Directorate’s summons to Chief Minister Hemant Soren for questioning in connection with a case of alleged illegal mining. Shouting slogans against the BJP and carrying party flags, hundreds of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) activists from across the state gathered at Morabadi ground.

New Delhi: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren on Thursday sought three weeks’ time to appear before theED in connection with the money laundering case pertaining to illegal mining and extortion in Jharkhand and Bihar. Sources in the ED claimed that Soren has written a letter to the probe agency seeking time to attend a few programs. Soren was summoned by the ED to join the investigation on Thursday, but he skipped the questioning.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi joins artistes performing the traditional folk dance ‘Dhimsa’ amid the party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra on Thursday.

—PHOTO BY PTI

“Why separate dates for Himachal, Gujarat polls?”

New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Thursday said the Election Commission must give an explanation to the people of the country as to why it announced the poll schedule for Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat on separate dates even though counting of votes would be held on the same day. Congress’s Gujarat in-charge Raghu Sharma alleged that the BJP got time to hold several rallies on official expense and misused public resources to the hilt in Gujarat.

At a presser at the AICC headquarters here, he said, “Want to thank Election Commission for announcing Gujarat polls finally despite BJP-led government’s pressure.” “The Election Commission should give an explanation as a constitutional body that while counting of votes for elections in both states will be on the same day, why elections were announced on different dates,” Sharma said.

He also attacked PM Narendra Modi over the Morbi bridge collapse, saying when the tragedy happened the Congress had cancelled all political programmes but the prime minister “went ahead with official programmes”.

Hyderabad (PTI): Former Navy Chief Admiral L Ramdas joined Rahul Gandhi in ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in Telangana on Thursday. “Admiral Ramdas, former Chief of Naval Staff, who at 89 continues to be an indefatigable campaigner for public causes, along with his wife Lalita Ramdas, herself the daughter of Admiral Katari, 1st Indian Chief of Naval Staff, walked with @RahulGandhi on Day 57 of #BharatJodoYatra,” Jairam Ramesh, tweeted.

RAHUL CORRECTS CHILD’S KARATE TECHNIQUES; CONG TAKES DIG AT BJP Hyderabad (Agencies): The Congress on Thursday shared a light moment from Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra where the Congress leader can be seen interacting with a karate kid. And the interaction, as captured in the video, is mostly about punches. Rahul Gandhi, who is a black belt in Aikido, supervised the deliveries of a Karate kid and apparently corrected his technique. The Congress shared this vide on its official Twitter handle.

COURTYARD 1984 ANTI-SIKH RIOTS: SUPREME COURT TAKES SIT ON RECORD

New Delhi (ANI): Senior Advocate HS Phoolka on Thursday apprised the Supreme Court about the sham trial that has taken place in 1984 cases. Phoolka cited the SIT report which was filed on Nov 29, 2019. According to the SIT report, while police after clubbing various cases sent a challan in respect of the murder of 56 persons, the trial court framed charges only in respect of the killing of 5 persons.

KARNATAKA HIGH COURT TAKES UP THE CAUSE OF CHILD HAWKERS

Bengaluru (PTI): Taking serious note of children being forced to sell trinkets and toys at traffic signals and street-corners, the High Court of Karnataka has directed the stakeholders to meet and suggest ways to rehabilitate and provide such children education. A Division Bench directed the meeting to be held on November 15 under the aegis of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA).

3 SENIOR CITIZENS CONVICTED IN DUTY EVASION SCAM

Mumbai (PTI): A court here has convicted three senior citizens including two former Customs officials and imposed a fine of Rs 5.50 crore in a two-decade-old case of customs duty evasion.

Special judge for CBI cases, SU Wadgaonkar said in his order on Wednesday that economic offences have serious consequences for the country’s economy and financial health.

ADEQUATE SECURITY AT SWAMY’S SECURITY AT RESIDENCE: CENTRE

New Delhi (PTI): The Centre has told Delhi High Court that adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure safety of former BJP MP Subramanian Swamy at his private residence considering that he is a ‘Z category’ protectee. After Cente’s submission, court closed the proceedings in Swamy’s application in which he claimed that Centre was yet to make adequate arrangements at his private accommodation.

ELECTIONS OF INDIAN OLYMPIC ASSOCIATION TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 10 New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has approved a fresh timeline submitted by Justice (retd) LN Rao committee for holding of elections of the executive committee of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), and said the polls will be held on December 10. A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli also allowed circulation of the draft amended constitution among members of the IOA as per rules.

RURAL WASH PARTNERSHIPS

Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2023 Toolkit launched Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation holds technical session First India Bureau New Delhi: Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti held Technical Session on “Rural WASH Partnerships – the way forward’ on the second day of the 7th India Water Week.

The focus of the ses-

EX-NAVY CHIEF ADMIRAL RAMDAS JOINS RaGa IN BHARAT JODO YATRA

Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at the technical session on ‘Rural Wash Partnerships – The Way Forward’ in New Delhi, on Thursday & Union Minister Shekhawat, with other dignitaries, launching the ‘Retrofitting Module’.

—PHOTO BY PIB

sion, chaired by Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shek-

hawat, was on how the partnerships with academia, WASH experts

and other partners can be harnessed to achieve the targets of the two

flagship programs of DDWS – Jal Jeevan Mission and the Swachh

Bharat Mission Grameen phase-II. Union Minister also launched the toolkit for Swachh Survekshan Grameen (SSG) 2023 and the web portal for the ‘Twinpit to Retrofit Abhiyan’.

An important initiative under Swachh Bharat Mission is the Swachh Survekshan Grameen (SSG). DDWS has been conducting SSG since 2018 onwards to rank the States and Districts on the basis of their performance.

DEATH PENALTY TO PAK LeT TERRORIST IN 2000 RED FORT ATTACK CASE

New Delhi (Agencies): The Supreme Court on Thursday affirmed the death sentence of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Mohammad Ashfaq Arif convicted of attacking an army barracks at Delhi’s Red Fort in December 2000. A Supreme Court bench dismissed the review petition filed by Arif noting the order of conviction and sentence do not warrant any intervention.

Morbi: Guj govt calls off search operation New Delhi (Agencies): Gujarat on Thursday called of the search operation following the bridge collapse in Morbi that led to the death of 135 people. An official said that there is no information about anyone still being missing in the bridge tragedy. “A total of 135 people have died.

But our control room is still operational. People can offer us all such information, we’ll follow it up with due process,” Morbi District Collector, GT Pandya, said. “All

persons have been accounted for. And hence the decision to call off the search operation,” Pandya added. Local fire brigade, state and national disaster teams will be kept on standby, a govt statement said.

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08

ASSEMBLY BYPOLLS IN SIX STATES

POLLING BY AND LARGE PEACEFUL: EC

Telangana’s Munugode records 77%, Haryana’s Adampur 75%, 66.63% turnout in Odisha New Delhi (PTI): Byelections to seven assembly constituencies in six states were held on Thursday with the voter turnout ranging from 31.74 per cent in Andheri (East) of Maharashtra to 77.55 per cent in Telangana’s Munugode.

Till last reports came in, the polling percentages in the five other seats were Mokama (53.45) and Gopalganj (51.48) of Bihar, Adampur (75.25) of Haryana, Gola Gokarannath (55.68) of Uttar Pradesh, and Dhamnagar (66.63) of Odisha. These figures are likely to change.

Officials said the bypolls were by and large peaceful barring some minor incidents.

Among the seven seats where bypolls are being held, the BJP held three seats and the Congress two, while the Shiv Sena and the RJD had one each. The contest is symbolic of the fierce turf war between the BJP and the regional parties.

For the bypolls in Bihar, the main contest is between the BJP and the RJD, and the saffron party’s main contenders in Haryana are the Congress, INLD and the AAP. In Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, the main contests are between the BJP and the TRS, SP and the BJD respectively.

While a victory in the

T’GANA COPS LATHI-CHARGE 2 GROUPS AT MARRIGUDA POLLING STATION DURING BYPOLL

Voters stand in a queue outside a polling station during the Bihar Assembly by- election in Gopalganj, on Thursday.

—PHOTO BY PTI

BJP backs-off at last moment, but will it matter in Andheri East bypoll?

Mahesh Sharma Mumbai: The BJP withdrew its candidate for the Andheri East assembly seat in Maharashtra on the last day for withdrawal of nomination. On the appeal of Shiv Sena leaders of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde faction and MNS leader Raj Thackeray, the BJP withdrew the name of its candidate so that Rutuja Latte, wife of late MLA Ramesh Latte, could win the election easily.

However, even then Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP have said that bypolls will be inconsequential to their position in the assemblies,

CRUCIAL READ NEXT VANDE BHARAT TRAIN BETWEEN CHENNAI-BENGALURU-MYSURU SOON

CNI MODERATOR KERALA CPI-M MP BOOKED IN MONEY AM ARIFF INJURED LAUNDERING CASE IN CAR ACCIDENT Bhopal (Agencies): The Bhopal unit of ED has registered money laundering case to probe alleged irregularities against Jabalpur bishop PC Singh — moderator of Church of North India (CNI) in India — and his family. The federal company has filed the case underneath varied sections of the PMLA Act taking cognizance of a EOW FIR that has named Singh and his son.

Kochi (Agencies): The lone CPI-M Lok Sabha MP from Kerala, AM Ariff, suffered injuries on Thursday after the car he was driving hit a lorry in Alappuzha. The incident took place near KVM Junction when the car rammed into the lorry. While the front portion of the car was badly damaged, Ariff suffered injuries on his legs. He was brought out of the car with the help of fire officials.

the parties have not taken the contest lightly and carried out a

Bengaluru (Agencies): The Dakshina Kannada district administration on Thursday started the process of attaching the property of the slaughterhouses in connection with illegal cow slaughtering. C Madana Mohan, Assistant Commissioner of Mangaluru Sub-Division and Sub divisional Magistrate issued an order for the attachment of properties for carrying out illegal cow slaughtering. The four properties of slaughterhouses in Adyapaadi near Adkur, Bajal Pakaladka, Jalligudde and Kattapuni have been attached following the order. Jurisdictional Kankanady police have been directed to get the valuation of properties and vehicles done from the concerned authorities and submit the approximate value of the property to the court.

high-pitched campaign.

The counting of votes will take place on No-

CONG IN SELF-DESTRUCTION MODE, HAS NO FUTURE: KULDEEP BISHNOI Hisar (ANI): Kuldeep Bishnoi who joined BJP after being expelled from Congress, on Thursday said his former party is in “self-destruction mode” and has no future. Bishnoi, who reached the polling booth to cast his vote in the Adampur constituency bypoll in Haryana, took a jibe at Rahul

vember 6.

In UP, the Samajwadi Party alleged that some

K’taka woman, twins die IMD predicts heavy rain in after delivery at home Tumakuru (Karnataka): In a heart wrenching incident, a woman and her new-born twins died on Thursday, after the hospital authorities refused to admit her.

Thirty-year-old Kasturi hailed from Tamil Nadu. Her two newborn babies died at her residence at Bharathinagar locality in Tumakuru city.

Protesting the hospital’s apathy, the locals staged a protest and demanded suspension of the concerned doctors and staff.

The family and relatives of the woman also refused to cremate the bodies until action is taken against the guilty.

According to locals, Kasturi had come from Tamil Nadu and was

South TN today

staying at a rented place with her daughter. Kasturi, who was pregnant, developed labour pain on Wednesday evening.

She was taken to the government district hospital in an auto. But, the authorities and staff of the government district hospital refused admission in the absence of Aadhaar and Mother's card.

The doctors also refused to provide her treatment and admit her to the hospital despite the woman being in labour.

Chennai (Agencies): The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rains at isolated places in some southern districts of Tamil Nadu on Friday.

As per the weather department, the districts that are likely to be affected by this heavy rainfall, are - Ramanathapuram, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Sivaganga and Myladuthurai.

In a statement on Thursday, the IMD officials said that an upper cyclonic circulation that lies over south Tamil Nadu and its neighbourhood and extends up to upper tropospheric areas is expected to bring in rains.

Gandhi and said the former Congress president could commit political suicide, by continuing in Congress, but not he.

Bishnoi said, “Congress is in self-destruction mode. It would remain in the number two spot, but BJP would win the bypoll.” Bishnoi’s son Bhawya Bishnoi is in fray in Adampur.

polling centres were captured by workers of the ruling BJP.

Foreign cigarettes worth `2.47 crore seized in Mizoram Aizawl (Agencies): Assam Rifles and Customs officials in a joint operation seized 190 cases of foreign origin cigarettes worth Rs 2.47 crore from eastern Mizoram's Champhai district, a hotspot of illegal trade from Myanmar.

Officials on Thursday said that the para-military troopers of 23 Sector accompanied by Assam Rifles officials recovered the foreign origin cigarettes on Wednesday night from an abandoned place at New Zotlang of Champhai district, adjoining Myanmar. The seized items were handed over to the Customs department, Champhai to undertake further legal proceedings.

Ongoing smuggling of drugs and foreign origin cigarettes is a major cause of concern for Mizoram, especially along the India-Myanmar border, an Assam Rifles statement said.

The Mizoram-based International Trade Initiative Forum (ITIF) recently urged Prime Min-

In the absence of formal & regular official border trade between India and Myanmar, not only smuggling and illegal trade is going on unchecked but govt is losing crores of rupees in revenue.

—A retired IAS officer

ister Narendra Modi and Mizoram Governor to resume trade with Myanmar through the Zokhawthar border point.

ITIF President PC Lawmkunga, a retired IAS officer, who served as Manipur’s Chief Secretary, reportedly said “in the absence of the formal and regular official border trade between India and Myanmar, not only smuggling and illegal trade is going on unchecked but the govt is losing crores of rupees in revenue.”

Over 20K schools shut UP govt okays during 2021-22: Report move to set up

New Delhi (PTI): Over 20,000 schools across the country were shut down during the 202021, a report by the Ministry of Education found. The number of teachers also declined by 1.95 per cent compared to the previous year.

The report titled, Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) on school education in India for 2021-22 also

pointed out that only 44.85 per cent schools had computer facilities while nearly 34 per cent had internet connection.

“Total number of schools in 2021-22 stood at 14.89 lakhs as compared to 15.09 lakhs in 2020-21. The decline in total schools is mainly due to closure of schools under private and other management,” said the report launched on Thursday.

pvt varsities

Lucknow (ANI): UP cabinet has cleared setting up private universities in Ghaziabad, Noida and Farrukhabad, along with another 19 proposals. At a cabinet meeting on Thursday in which 22 of 23 proposals tabled were passed.

Among the proposals cleared were those pertaining to issuance of letters of intent for setting up the SDGI Global University in Ghaziabad and Major SD Singh University in Fatehgarh, Farrukhabad, under the Uttar Pradesh Private Universities Act, 2019. A proposal regarding the release of the letter of intent for establishing the JSS University in Noida was also approved.

IIMC AT AIZAWL

Murmu inaugurates North Eastern Regional Campus lll

SLAUGHTERHOUSE PROPERTIES ATTACHED IN KARNATAKA DISTRICT

with the Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray faction. There is the news that BJP is creating trouble for the candidate of Uddhav Thackeray faction in Andheri East seat. Shiv Sena leader Anil Parab has alleged that voters in the a ssembly constituency are being lured by money and BJP is asking them to vote on the option of NOTA i.e. None Of The Above. Significantly, even after the withdrawal of the BJP candidate, many independent candidates are in the fray.

control now,” Nalgonda SP Rema Rajeshwari said.

The BJP supporters tried to stage a protest at a polling station in Marriguda alleging that the TRS party is trying to influence voters.

The BJP also demanded action against those trying to influence the voters.

The foreign cigarettes were reportedly smuggled from Myanmar.

—Representational pic

New Delhi (Agencies): PM Narendra Modi is all set to flag off South India’s first ‘Vande Bharat Express’ train during his visit to Bengaluru on November 11.

The country’s fifth Vande Bharat Express, it will run between Chennai and Mysuru via Bengaluru. On November 5, this semi-high-speed train will leave the Integrated Coach Factory for trials. Vande Bharat is India’s first semi high speed train equipped with world class passenger amenities. It can achieve high speeds due to faster acceleration and deceleration and will reduce journey times by 25% to 45%. The train can attain speed from 0-100 kmph in 52 seconds. All Vande Bharat coaches are equipped with automatic doors; GPS based audio-visual information system etc.

the BJP knew it was going to be defeated and to avoid this humiliation, it played this gamble. Had the BJP lost in the by-elections, the narrative around that lost would have made it difficult for BJP to hope for a good outing in the municipal corporation elections to be held in the next few days and the position of Shiv Sena would have been strengthened. So the party withdrew the candidate.

But it seems that despite the removal of the candidate, there has been no harmony

Munugodu (ANI): The Telangana Police on Thursday lathi-charged two groups at a polling station in Munugodu’s Marriguda during voting for the bypolls, after both the groups alleged that they are not from the same village. This came amid the voting in the Munugodu assembly constituency. “In Marriguda, two groups gathered and alleged against each other that they are not from the same village. Immediately the police intervened and dispersed the two groups.

The situation is under

Since its inauguration in 2011, the institute is headed by LR Sailo, Regional Director, who has decades of experience in public relations

First India Bureau Aizawl: President Droupadi Murmu on her visit to Mizoram inaugurates the Campus of IIMC North East located at Mizoram University in virtual mode. The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) is an autonomous Institution under I&B Ministry.

The IIMC North East Campus began functioning in 2011 from a temporary building made available by Mizoram Univer-

President Droupadi Murmu addresses the 17th Convocation of Mizoram University, in Aizawal on Thursday. —PHOTO BY ANI

sity. The construction work for the campus began in 2015 and complet-

ed in 2019. The total cost is 25 crores. The IIMC permanent campus on

the 8 acres of land given

by Mizoram University has separate Administrative and Academic buildings along with hostels and staff quarters.

Since its inception, the campus is offering PG Diploma course in English Journalism for which most of the students come from other parts of India. This year, the Institute takes pride in having a topper in English Journalism for the second time. The Campus also enables its

students to secure employments in reputed media organisations across the country through campus placements and their own efforts. Year after year, students are establishing their own niche in wellknown media organizations like Doordarshan.

From the 2022-23 session, the North East Campus has been chosen to start PG Diploma Course in Digital Media along with two other Campuses of IIMC.

COMMODITIES

CURRENCIES

Commodity

Price

Change

% Chg

Currency

Price

Change

% Chg

GOLD

50,597.00

402.00

0.79 (Per 10g)

USDINR

82.88

0.08

0.09

SILVER

58,111.00

1244.00

2.14 (Per 1kg)

GBPINR

93.28

1.89

1.99

*Rates till the edition went to print.

MUMBAI | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022

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business BRIEFS

INDIA’S OCTOBER IRON ORE EXPORTS ARE ‘NEARLY ZERO’

New Delhi: India’s iron ore exports dropped to “nearly zero” in October, and overseas shipments of the steelmaking raw material are expected to continue to languish due to higher export taxes and lower demand from China, a senior industry official said on Thursday. India in May raised the export tax on low-grade iron ore lumps and fines - with iron content below 58% to 50% from zero, and hiked the duties on pellets to 45% from zero, as part of efforts to meet rising local demand.

—FIB

BYJU’S FINALISING PLANS FOR $1 BN IPO FOR AAKASH

RBI panel meets to draft report on retail inflation Mumbai (PTI): The RBI’s rate setting panel met on Thursday to discuss and draft a report for the government on why it failed to keep retail inflation below the target of 6% for three consecutive quarters since January this year.

“A separate meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was held on November 3, 2022 to discuss and draft the report to be sent to the Government by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the provisions of Section 45ZN of the RBI Act, 1934 and Regulation 7 of RBI MPC and Monetary Policy Process Regulations, 2016,” the central bank said in a statement.

Section 45ZN of RBI Act deals with failure to maintain the inflation target.

The meeting was chaired

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS z The meeting was chaired

by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das and attended by all MPC members — Michael Debabrata Patra, Rajiv Ranjan, Shashanka Bhide, Ashima Goyal and Jayanth R Varma

OTHER STORIES New Delhi: India’s most valuable startup, onlineeducation giant Byju’s, is finalizing plans for a $1 billion initial public offering of its tutoring business Aakash Educational Services, according to people familiar with the matter. The company is in talks with at least four foreign banks as well as Indian banks including Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd and Axis Bank Ltd as it seeks arrangers for the listing. The unit may be valued at $3.5 billion to $4 billion.

—FIB

INDIA AIMS TO END UREA IMPORTS FROM 2025

New Delhi: India aims to end imports of urea from 2025 as the nation boosts its local production capacity with the commissioning of new plants, fertilisers minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.

India, the top importer of urea, imports about 30% of its average 35 million tonnes of annual consumption of the crop nutrient. “We are aiming for ending our dependence on imported urea by 2025... our five new plants will be commissioned by then,” Mansukh Mandaviya told reporters.

—FIB

FICCI NAMES SUBHRAKANT PANDA AS NEXT PRESIDENT

NEED TO BOOST CROP PRODUCTIVITY, MAKE FARMING PROFITABLE FOR GROWTH OF AGRI SECTOR: TOMAR

New Delhi: Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar on Thursday stressed on increasing farm productivity and crop production as well as making farming activities profitable for the overall growth of the sector. He also said there is a need for balanced use of agro-chemicals and fertilisers by creating awareness. Tomar said the government has undertaken various reforms in the agro-chemical industry and the process would continue in consultation with the stakeholders. He assured them that the government will make efforts to address the challenges faced by the industry.

—PTI

HDFC LTD SECOND QUARTER PROFIT RISES 24% TO `7,043 CRORE

New Delhi: Mortgage lender HDFC Ltd on Thursday said its consolidated net profit increased by 24% to `7,043 crore in the September 2022 quarter. It had reported a `5,670 crore net profit in the year-ago period, HDFC said in a regulatory filing.

Its total income on a consolidated basis rose to `43,927 crore in the said quarter from `38,603 crore a year ago. On a standalone basis, its net profit increased by 18% to `4,454 crore from `3,780 crore a year back.

—PTI

ESAF SFB TO REFILE IPO PAPERS BUT THE ISSUE SIZE TO BE LOWER NOW

Mumbai: ESAF Small Finance Bank is looking to refile its initial public offering (IPO) with a lower issue size, which will hit the market in FY24, a top official said on Thursday. The lender had in October filed for a nearly `1,000 crore IPO which was to include `800 crore of primary issuance and also a `200 crore offer-forsale from existing investors. Its MD and CEO K Paul Thomas said that the company is in the process of refiling the draft prospectus with Sebi and will be doing same by Dec. —PTI

PANEL TO SEEK FINMIN’S EXPLANATION FOR REJECTING PROPOSAL TO RAISE PENSION UNDER EPFO New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel will seek explanation from the finance ministry for turning down the labour ministry’s proposal to increase the pension of EPFO subscribers from the current `1,000 per month.

The quantum of increase proposed by the labour ministry could not be ascertained.

Top officials from the labour ministry and Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on Thursday briefed Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour chaired

by BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab on operation of the EPF pension scheme and management of its corpus fund.

—PTI

z The RBI Act requires the central bank’s MPC to report to the government reasons for failure to meet the retail inflation target z The retail inflation based on CPI has remained above 6% since January 2022. It was 7.41% in September

India offers stability: FM invites investors New Delhi (PTI): India offers policy stability, transparency and consultative process of governance to incubate investment, FM Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday as she invited investments in prospecting energy resources in the country.

Stressing that there is a need for investments in coal, she said, “We need greater investments also to help in gasification of coal.

I invite all of you to energetically participate in the (sixth round of commercial mines) auction processes which have been launched today and keep your options also further extended for greater extraction of minerals in India.” During this ‘Amrit Kaal’, India needs all the basic minerals as the country is in the process of rapid growth, she added.

“This is where action is.

leaders in quality, we will not be able to become a developed nation and leverage the fruits of international engagement that we are trying to expand.”

The time is right to engage with the private sector to build a

New Delhi (PTI): The government is mapping all food quality laboratories in the country in a bid to plug the critical gaps and modernise them to make India a quality-conscious country, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday.

State-run Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has already mapped 3,000-odd

NABL-accredited non-diagnostic laboratories in the country. It is mulling how to map the n o n accredited nondiagnostic labs set up by PSUs, industries and education institutes like IITs. “Unless we are

Unemployment rate surges to 7.77% in Oct

Markets fall for 2nd day amid weak global equities

New Delhi: Unemployment rate in India surged last month on the back of significant increase in rural unemployment rate, reversing the decline registered in September. The data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy shows the unemployment rate in India stood at 7.77% in October compared to a four-year low of 6.43% in September.

As per the CMIE, rural unemployment rate stood at 8.04% in October as against 5.84% in September while the urban unemployment fell to 7.21% compared to 7.7% in September.

Further, the rise in the unemployment rate in October was accompanied by a small fall in the LPR.

Mumbai (PTI): Benchmark indices finished on a weak note on Thursday, extending their previous day’s decline amid a negative trend in global equity markets after the US Fed hiked interest rates by 75 basis points.

The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 69.68 points or 0.11% to settle at 60,836.41.

During the day, it tanked 420.95 points or 0.69% to 60,485.14.

Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty dipped 30.15 points or 0.17% to end at 18,052.70.

From the Sensex pack, Tech Mahindra, PowerGrid, NTPC, Infosys, Wipro, HDFC, Tata Consultancy Services and Mahindra & Mahindra were the major laggards.

First India Bureau

` FALLS 8 PAISE TO CLOSE AT 82.88 AGAINST US DOLLAR

Mumbai (PTI): The rupee depreciated by 8 paise to close at 82.88 against the US dollar on Thursday, after the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates and maintained a hawkish stance. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local unit opened at 82.87 and witnessed a high of 82.74 and a low of 82.92. It finally settled at 82.88 against the American currency, registering a fall of 8 paise over its last close of 82.80.

WTW GLOBAL GENDER WEALTH EQUITY REPORT

Gender wealth gap in APAC largest in India at 64% New Delhi: Women, on average, are expected to reach retirement with just 74% of the wealth accumulated by men, a new global study - The 2022 WTW Global Gender Wealth Equity report by advisory, broking and solutions company WTW has revealed.

Asia Pacific has one of the lower global wealth gaps on average for gender wealth equity. In the APAC region, women are expected to accumulate just over 76% of men’s wealth lev-

TOP TALKING POINTS z Women, on average, are

expected to reach retirement with just 74% of the wealth accumulated by men

z In the APAC region,

women are expected to accumulate just over threequarters (76%) of men’s wealth levels

els, two points above the global average. In APAC, the gender wealth gap is the largest in India at 64%.

The study found that one

CALL FOR BETTER FUTURE z Finance Minister Nirmala

Sitharaman on Thursday invited investments in prospecting energy resources in the country

z India needs all the basic

minerals as the country is in the process of rapid growth

We are definitely creating a policy environment through which greater transparency and greater policy stability guides and invites investments. The next 25 years are critical for India for both its growth and also for employment.

‘Govt mapping all food quality laboratories’

First India Bureau

Bhubaneswar: The FICCI on Wednesday named Subhrakant Panda as its next president. Panda, the MD of IMFA, is currently serving as the senior vice president of FICCI. FICCI said that Panda will succeed Sanjiv Mehta as president of the apex chamber at the conclusion of its 95th AGM to be held on Dec 16-17.

Panda has been active in FICCI for two decades and was the first chairman of the FICCI Odisha State Council.

—PTI

by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das. The RBI Act requires the central bank’s MPC to report to the government reasons for failure to meet the retail inflation target as well as measures to bring it at 4% with a margin of 2%.

The meeting was called under the provisions of Section 45ZN of the RBI Act 1934. It was the first time since the monetary policy framework came into effect in 2016 that RBI had to give an explanation to the government.

The retail inflation based on CPI has remained above 6% since January 2022. It was 7.41% in September.

The six-member MPC headed by Governor Das factors in retail inflation while deciding the bimonthly monetary policy.

09

of the contributing factors for this can be the significant gender pay gaps in the country, which exceed the global average, par-

ticularly for professional and technical roles. Opportunities for women in leadership positions are also limited, with only 3%

of women in the workforce occupying senior positions.

Women also tend to assume childcare responsibilities at a young age, resulting in financial impacts from which there is limited capacity to cover. Compounding this is the fact that long-term financial decisions generally rest with men and financial literacy for working women tends to be lower.

Across the 12 markets in the APAC, gender wealth gaps range from 64% in India to 90% in South Korea.

roadmap to make India a “quality-conscious country” by strengthening infrastructure, adopting modern technology and focusing on sustainability.

“We have started the process of mapping laboratory infrastructure available in India. Now, we can make the assessment of critical gaps in lab infrastructure,” he said.

CURRENCY IN CIRCULATION DECLINES IN DIWALI WEEK Mumbai (PTI): The currency in circulation (CIC) declined by `7,600 crore in the Diwali week, making it the first such happening in two decades, a report said on Thursday.

This was made possible courtesy of a greater reliance on digital payments by people, the report by economists at SBI said, adding that the Indian economy is undergoing a structural transformation at present.

They clarified that the Diwali week in 2009 had also witnessed a marginal `950 crore decline in currency in circulation, but that was purely due to the economic slowdown amid the global financial crisis.

“The innovations in technology have changed the Indian payment system. Over the years, the Indian cash lead economy now has changed to a smart-phone lead payment economy,” they said.

The economists also said that a lower currency in circulation also is akin to a cut in the cash reserve ratio for the banking system as it results in lower leakage of deposits and will have a positive impact on monetary transmission as well.

A silent supportive presence is more powerful than a million empty words.

2ND FRONT

—Dr Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor-in-Chief, First India

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10

Fadnavis to be 1st to perform two ‘official’ pujas No leader has ever performed pujas on Aashadhi and Kartiki Ekadashi at Pandharpur temple as, until now, nobody had been both CM and Dy CM First India Bureau Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will become the first politician in the state to perform both official pujas at the famous Vitthal temple of Pandharpur.

He would be performing the ‘Kartiki Ekadashi’ puja at the temple in his capacity as deputy chief minister on Friday.

The customary puja is conducted on behalf of the state government at the temple, a

Palghar (PTI): A 20-year-old woman and her lover sustained injuries after acid was flung on them allegedly by her estranged husband and ex-live-in partner in Nalasopara in Palghar district, a police official said on Thursday.

The woman had left her husband due to domestic disputes and then started living with a man, he said. “She left this live-in partner as well and moved in with a third person. This angered her husband and former live-in partner, who allegedly flung acid on the two while they were sleeping on Monday night,” he said, adding, “The woman and her lover are undergoing treatment in a nearby hospital. A case was registered on Tuesday and efforts are on to nab the two accused,” the Pelhar police station official added.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

minister.

The custom of dividing the two pujas at Pandharpur temple between the CM and deputy CM was started then to take care of “political egos” in alliance governments, said a senior political observer.

After the 2014 elections, the BJP, the single largest party, did not offer the deputy CM’s post to its then ally Shiv Sena, he said.

“But (then) senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse was given the honour of performing the Kartiki Puja,” he said, adding that it indicated that Khadse was ‘number two’ in the cabinet.

“After Khadse’s resignation, (minister) Chandrakant Patil performed the Kartiki Ekadashi puja in subsequent years,” he said.

TALKS ON TO SET UP FINLAND’S APPLIED SCIENCES UNIV HERE Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday held a meeting with the officials of the Finlandbased LAB University of Applied Sciences and discussed the possibility of setting up its base in the state. In a tweet, Fadnavis said, “Met Mr Turo Kilpelainen, President & Mr Joanne Hokkanen of LAB University of Applied Sciences, Finland. We discussed plans to set up LAB University of Applied Sciences in Maharashtra via FDI route. We are extremely positive for bringing institutions of international repute in the land of opportunities.”

Govt transfers 4 senior IAS officials

—FILE PHOTO

Husband, exlover booked in acid attack

major pilgrimage site and the centre of the Warkari sect.

Notably, as chief minister from 2014 to 2019, Fadnavis had performed ‘Ashadhi Ekadashi’ puja at the temple in his official capacity.

Two major pujas are performed at the Pandharpur temple Aashadhi Ekadashi and Kartiki Ekadashi.

“Since 1985, the Maharashtra chief minister performs the puja at the Vitthal Rukmini temple on Ashadhi Ekadashi. Since 1995, the deputy chief minister

was given the honour of performing the Kartiki Ekadashi puja,” said a government official.

No politician had ever had the distinction of performing both the pujas as nobody had, until now, occupied both the posts.

In Fadnavis’s case, he became deputy CM in June this year in the Eknath Shinde-led government having served as chief minister for five years between 2014 to 2019.

“Fadnavis is going to be the first politician to get the opportunity to perform both the pujas,” the official said.

In 1995, when Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government came to power, Manohar Joshi of the Sena became chief minister while BJP’s Gopinath Munde became deputy chief

First India Bureau Mumbai: The state govenrment on Thursday transferred four senior bureaucrats, an official said.

Ashish Kumar Singh, a 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service official, currently Additional Chief Secretary (Transport and Ports), has been posted as Additional Chief Secretary (Accounts & Treasury) in the Finance Department.

Abha Shukla, a 1993-batch IAS official, who was Principal Secretary (Accounts & Treasury) in the Fi-

Abha Shukla

Ashish Kumar Singh

nance Department, has been posted as Principal Secretary (Energy) in the Industries, Energy & Labour Department.

Principal Secretary (Energy), Industries, Energy & Labour Department Dinesh T Waghmare has been

Parrag Jain Nainutia

posted as ChairmanManaging Director of Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited. He is a 1994-batch IAS official.

Parrag Jaiin Nainutia, a 1996-batch IAS official, currently the Principal Secretary

Dinesh Waghmare

(Textiles), Co-operation, Marketing & Textiles Department, will now take over as Principal Secretary (Transport & Ports) in the Home Department, with additional charge as Principal Secretary (IT), General Administration Department.

4 booked, days after blast that left 5 dead Alibag (PTI): A fortnight after a blast killed five workers at Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd (RCF) plant here in Raigad district, police on Thursday said they have filed a case against four persons, two of them officials of the central public sector undertaking.

The incident took place on October 19 when an air-conditioner compressor exploded

at the RCF plant at Alibag in Maharashtra’s Raigad district.

After investigation, the police registered an

offence under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 304A (causing death by negligence) against a contractor, his

supervisor and two RCF officials, said a police release. The workers who died on the site were not experts and lacked qualification to do the job assigned to them, it added.

No safety gear were provided to them and there was negligence on part of the contractor, the police said, adding that RCF officers responsible for installing the AC did not take adequate safety measures.

PM Narendra Modi and his then-Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe initiated the project in 2017.

No set timeline for Mum-Ahd Bullet train project, RTI says Mumbai: The timeline for finishing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project has not yet been determined, according to an RTI enquiry.

The Ministry of Railway has announced that Gujarat will host the nation's first bullet train by 2026.

Anil Galgali, an RTI activist, received a response from the National High Speed Railway Corporation Limited stating that the completion date cannot be set until land is acquired in Maharashtra.

Galgali has enquired

The project is expected to cut travel time between the two major cities by half about several issues with NHSRCL. According to Umesh Kumar Gupta, Deputy General Manager of NHSRCL, civil work for the full 352-km route in Gujarat and DNH started in different phases in December 2020.

He further added that the timeline for completion of the project can be fixed on completion of land acquisition in

the state and the awarding of all the tenders/ contracts.

"As on September 01,2022, civil work is progressing at full pace in the state of Gujarat.

All civil and track tenders in the entire length of Gujarat have already been awarded. Land acquisition is in progress in the state of Maharashtra," said Gupta.

Meanwhile, Galgali opined that pursuing such ambitious projects without thorough planning results in mishaps and cannot be completed on time and the contractors have to shell out extra money.

OUT OF TIME

No order in Salman Khan’s defamation plea as judge retires today Bombay HC Justice CV Bhadang began the hearing on the appeal filed by the actor against a lower court order in August; case will now be heard afresh First India Bureau Mumbai: The Bombay High Court judge, who was to pronounce the order in the appeal filed by actor Salman Khan in a defamation case against his neighbour, would not be able to do so because of “paucity of time”.

Justice CV Bhadang,

who had heard the arguments in the case and reserved his order, retires on Friday, November 04. He had begun the hearing in August on the appeal filed by the actor against a lower court order of March 2022.

Khan’s petition will now be placed afresh for hearing before another judge.

Unfortunately, I am unable to complete the judgment…there was vacation and then administrative work…. I will have to list this as part heard. I understand the apprehension of the parties and that substantial time and efforts went into this. I would have loved to decide this case either way.

—Justice CV Bhadang, retiring Bombay High Court judge

In March 2022, the lower court had refused to restrain Ketan Kakkad, who owns land near Khan’s farmhouse at Panvel, from posting

derogatory video posts against the actor, as well as refused to direct Kakkad to delete his earlier YouTube videos.

On October 11, Jus-

tice Bhadang closed the matter for orders after arguments were over.

“Unfortunately, I am unable to complete the judgment. I tried my

level best till last evening. But unfortunately, there was vacation and then administrative work, and I had other assignments. I will have

to list this as part heard,” the High Court judge said on Thursday.

The star had filed a defamation suit against Kakkad in the lower

court over videos uploaded on social media about Khan’s activities at his Panvel farmhouse. When the civil court refused to pass any interim restraining orders, Khan moved the High Court.

The posts uploaded

by Kakkad were not only defamatory but also communal and provocative in nature, Khan had stated in his application. Kakkad’s lawyers, however, argued that the actor filed the defamation suit to pressure their client to give up his land.

www.firstindia.co.in I https://firstindia.co.in/epapers/mumbai I twitter.com/ thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia MUMBAI, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022

STRIPE GEAR

AN ALL-TIME

CLASSIC The classic stripe is a girl’s best friend when it comes to patterns.

City First brings to the highlights from the timeless fashion!

UTTKARSHA SHEKHAR

uttkarsha.shekhar@firstindia.co.in

S

tripes are a perennial favourite because they can be worn in a variety of ways and have a special way of conjuring up summer. Although stripes have always been in style, this season is all about applying them in unconventional or non-traditional ways.

The most comfortable way to dress is in a striped pattern, which can be worn in a variety of ways. Men can wear striped shirts and slacks, while ladies can wear stripes in long gowns, short dresses, and shirt patterns.

The major benefit of stripes is that they go well with anything and can be worn with fusion clothing to provide some edge.

Mesh and shimmer stripes, fulllength vertical stripes, alluring swirly stripes on knit and lace, enormous athletic stripes in linear patterns, horizontal stripes, or a combination of all of the above. Wear a bikini, t-shirt, or dress with stripes to add visual liveliness to your outfit. The safer choice is always nautical stripes. If one frequents the beach frequently, one can invest in classic beach items.

“The classic navy, cherry, and

white stripes will never go out of style because they feature nautical accents like anchor designs and rope detailing.

To feel comfortable, we might wear a variety of stripes. The simplest approach to give your plain monochromatic stripes some edge is to add some colour to your outfit.

Try pairing strong shades with white, such as brilliant red and blue, or, if you’re feeling particularly daring, try a variety of hues. Wear the pattern from head to toe to up the ante on your stripes. Doubling or even tripling the number of stripes on striped clothing, is one of our favourite ways to modernise the tried-and-true stripe trend”.

Stripes are a timeless fashion staple, and irrespective of the season, they b l e n d well with different themes.

Dip-a-toe in this trend and experiment with different stripes ranging from mod zigzags to bold sailor motifs that are dominating the runways globally.

11

ETC MUMBAI | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4 , 2022

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BY KARTIK BAJORIA

The author is a Jaipur-based Communication Skills Educator & Writer

W

hen I was in my 20’s, I studied Literature. After that, I c h a n g e d tracks and studied Advertising, subsequently working in the Advertising Industry for a few years in Mumbai. Post that, I worked for an NGO back in my hometown in Jaipur before going off to Film School in Los Angeles and returning to Mumbai for a decade to work in various capacities across Film & Television. But that wasn’t the end of my exploration & experimentation. I finally moved back to Jaipur in 2013 and have been work-

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ing as a Communication Skills Teacher & Writer ever since!

Do I propagate and endorse this way of life, of repeatedly changing tracks & careers? Of course not.

But do I feel that in the one life we have, it is worth deeply scrutinizing & finding one’s passion and then following it, no matter what the odds are?

The answer to this question is a resounding yes!

We are lucky enough to live in a free country. Yet, we seldom reward ourselves with true freedom! The leeway to become actualized adults that are complete yet unique realized yet open and whole yet differentiated, is seldom granted to us, and especially today, to young students and children.

Freedom to explore, and of thought & expression, to me, is the essence of individual freedom. However, in my observation, while our schools and educational institutions have ‘improved’ by

Freedom to Explore: Exploration of oneself is the only way we can truly ‘know’ ourselves. Our likes, dislikes, talents, interests and passions, makes up a delectable cauldron waiting to be sipped, tastedand savoured. Perhaps the only way of initiating this ‘exploration’ is to expose ourselves to a wide variety of experiences. In each interaction lies a unique experience. Be it listening to a particular kind of music, strolling through a park early in the morning amid the birds and the freshly awakened flowers, or watching a great Ted Talk. Each human encounter brings us rich new learnings. A chat with our auto-rikshaw driver, a discussion with an elderly uncle; so much knowledge and awareness can be imbibed.

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leaps and bounds, sadly, these enhancements have been largely infrastructural, technological, digital, and for the most part – superficial. Smart Classes to Air Conditioned rooms & buses, state-of-the-art laboratories to the lavish sporting framework.

But where is the evolution in the embedded philosophy or the ethos of education?

Where is the strategy behind what kind of human beings we are producing to lead us into the future? Where is the identification and manifestation of the unique passions and talents of an individual?

I believe that along with all the wonderful progress that has been made by schools, and the ability of families & parents to provide greater exposure and tools to children, there must also be a very specific mandate to support, encourage and develop Exploration & Expression.

But how does one do this?

Freedom to Educate: Once something piques our interest, to educate ourselves in that sphere. Research. It can begin with a simple secondary search online using Google. Let’s say Gaming has caught your fancy. You can learn about a lot of the basics of the Gaming world by reading from reliable/credible/established sources online. Maybe you’ll realize it is not for you.

Maybe you will be even more convinced you’d like to know more! In the former scenario, you know you can leave this be and continue your quest of exploration.

In the latter, you can then start to find out about courses that you can take outside of your set school curriculum to explore and educate yourself further in that discipline.

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EXPLORE AND

EXPRESS, FREELY!

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Freedom to Express: Too often we take things for granted.

Silly things. Illogical things. ‘dogs will bite, don’t go near them’. ‘pink is for girls, boys can’t wear that colour’. Prejudices and preconceived notions, big and small, surround us. We must build, having explored and educated ourselves, the will and courage to express our own opinions, even though they sometimes might seem contrary to the status quo, against the inherited set of values and morality. We must question, we must ask, we must explore, and come to our own conclusions.

Freedom is nothing if we don’t grant it to each individual.

Freedom is a spirit of genuine self-discovery and thoughtful expression of that self-attainment. Without it, we are denying this great, ‘free’ country of its independence. Because without people who can think for themselves and contribute an individual perspective, we stand the greatest risk of all – being enslaved by our ‘dictated’ way of life.

That, for this great young country of ours, will arguably be the greatest tragedy – if we end up with entire generations that are fed on a steady diet of pre-decided, pre-determined life paths.

They will be frustrated, angry, discontented, disconnected, passionless individuals who will make up an apathetic whole!

ETC MUMBAI | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4 , 2022

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ADORABLE CHAMPI

Wonderfully weird ladies

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n Women’s Day this year, Vicky shared a cute picture of Katrina posing with Veena Kaushal and called them both his ‘strength’.

Now, as Vicky’s mom Veena Kaushal is celebrating her birthday, the Uri actor took to his social media to wish her.

Vicky Kaushal shared a video on Instagram and it shows Veena Kaushal massaging Vicky’s hair with oil, while the actor recorded the vid-

Her post...

Her post...

eo. Posting the cute ‘champi’ video featuring him and his mom, Vicky wished her a happy birthday and expressed how much he loves her. “Happy Birthday Maa. Aapki maar aur maalish dono mein sukoon hai! Love you.” Katrina Kaif reacted to the video and dropped a heart emoji on Vicky’s post.

Katrina Kaif

DATING RUMOURS

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lia Bhatt, who is one of the most loved actresses in town, is currently resting at home ahead of the arrival of her first baby.

Ahead of the baby’s arrival, it seems like the mommy-to-be is spending time with her mom Soni Razdan and sister Shaheen Bhatt. Alia, who has been keeping a lowkey affair on Instagram, has shared a sweet post for her mom Soni and sister Shaheen. She took to her handle and dropped an appreciation post. In her post, she called them ‘wonderfully weird ladies’. Alia is seen sporting a white t-shirt paired with a denim jacket and her mom is seen twinning as she is also wearing the same jacket. The trio looks beautiful as they flash their milliondollar smiles. Sharing the picture with fans, Alia wrote, “appreciation post for these wonderfully weird ladies.”

S Her post...

Alia Bhatt

Friends Forever K

iddhant Chaturvedi is currently rumoured to be in a relationship with Amitabh Bachchan’s granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda. Now, in a new interview, the actor finally addressed the dating rumour with Navya.

Siddhant is busy promoting his horror-comedy film Phone Bhoot with Katrina Kaif and Ishaan Khatter. During his interaction with GoodTimes, Siddhant and Ishaan were asked to share one rumour about themselves that they wish was true. To this, the Gehraiyaan actor said: “That I am dating, seeing someone. I wish that was true.” Siddhant and Navya made headlines when they arrived at filmmaker Karan Johar’s 50th birthday party at the same time. The rumoured couple was also seen dancing with Shah Rukh Khan and the video from the same also went viral.

eerthy Suresh is one of the busiest actresses in the South film industry.

The Dasara actress is a close friend of Bollywood actress, Janhvi Kapoor. Keerthy and Janhvi bumped into each other in Hyderabad, where the latter is promoting her upcoming Bollywood film Mili. The Dasara actress shared a lovely selfie with the Bollywood star on her official Instagram handle and wrote: “Wishing you all the love on your release babe! God bless. #MilifromNovember4” Janhvi Kapoor, on the other hand, shared Keerthy’s post on her official handle with a special note. “Bumped into my fav after gushing about her all day during interviews!!” reads Janhvi’s Instagram story.

Janhvi Kapoor

Govinda Naam Mera

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hashank Khaitan’s Govinda Naam Mera, which is headlined by Vicky Kaushal, Kiara Advani and Bhumi Pednekar has finalised their release date. “Govinda Naam Mera will release on December 16, 2022, on Disney+ Hotstar. The platform had a few dates in mind, however, they have finally zeroed down on December 16. It’s an important film for them, and they will make an official announcement soon,” informed a source close to the development. The film is backed by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Viacom18 Studios.

Vicky and Kiara have earlier worked together in Lust Stories, while the actor has also collaborated with Bhumi in Bhoot – Part One: The Haunted Ship.

Kiara Advani

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Navya Naveli Nanda

D Deepika Padukone

Vacation TIME!!

eepika Padukone is currently on a high with the terrific response received by the teaser of Pathaan, her much-awaited upcoming film. Meanwhile, the gorgeous actress is having a great time away from the limelight, with her hubby Ranveer Singh.

Recently, Ranveer Singh took to his official Instagram page and shared a fun video, in which the lovely couple is seen enjoying a boat ride. In the video, Deepika Padukone is seen having a fun time with her hubby and giving him a pat on his leg as he filmed her. “#Cutie,” wrote Ranveer Singh, who is clearly in awe of his beautiful wife, in his Instagram story.

CITY

STAY MASKED

GET VACCINATED

MUMBAI | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022

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‘Pathaan is not just a film, it is an emotion!’:Siddharth Anand ASHISH TIWARI

cityfirst.mumbai@firstindia.co.in

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ce director Siddharth Anand says the idea behind secretly dropping the teaser of Pathaan was to celebrate Shah Rukh Khan’s birthday with his countless fans across the globe! The visually spectacular Yash Raj Films’ action extravaganza, Pathaan, is part of Aditya Chopra’s spy universe and has the biggest superstars of the country Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in it.

Siddharth said, “The craze for a glimpse of Pathaan has been unprecedented. After a long, long time there’s an insane buzz for a film that is genuine and organic.

And it’s all due to the superstardom of this one man - Shah Rukh Khan. His fans and we

are talking millions of them, have been clamouring for just a peek at him and his film.

And thus, there could be no better day to put out the teaser of Pathaan than SRK’s birthday!”

The director adds, “He, truly, has been ruling the hearts and minds of audiences for decades and Pathaan marks his return to the big screen after a gap of four long years. So, while we decided to surprise them all on his birthday, the pressure to deliver was im-

Poster of the film...

birthday to release the first big asset of the film! It had to be spectacular and memorable at

Still from

the movie

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mense.”

Siddharth says, given the massive expectations of fans, the teaser of Pathaan had to deliver the goods.

He says, “We had to make a unit that justifies their wait to see something of Pathaan as well as the fact that we have chosen his

Sharvari collabs with Vijay!

Siddharth Anand

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t hasn’t been long since Sharvari Wagh made her film debut as the lead in Bunty Aur Babli 2 but she is already making a name for herself. She has constantly been in the news for her fashion sense, work and personal life. Now, fans are curious as to what the actor will be doing next. Some reports suggest that Sharvari has grabbed yet another interesting project and will be seen on screen with none other than Vijay Deverakonda. He was last seen in his debut Hindi release, Liger alongside Ananya Panday.

A picture of the two from the sets of their shoot went viral where both were seen donning chic outfits.

A source revealed, “Sharvari was spotted jetting off to Hyderabad earlier this week and we are now trying to add two plus two.”

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the same time and I think we have managed to make them very happy, given the incredible reaction that we are witnessing for Pathaan’s teaser.”

He adds, “For us, Pathaan is not just a film, it is an emotion as we are aiming to make the biggest action spectacle with one of the all-time biggest on-screen icons that Indian cinema has ever seen. The teaser is just the beginning to deliver on that promise on the big screen on Jan 25, 2023!”

Pathaan has the biggest on-screen pairings in the history of Indian cinema given their epic blockbusters Om Shanti Om, Chennai Express and Happy New Year. SRK and DP recently sizzled in Spain as leaked photos from the sets took the internet by storm. The glamourous duo shot a hugely mounted song in Mallorca as SRK was papped flaunting an eight-pack and DP her perfect bikini bod.

They then headed to Cadiz and Jerez in Spain where they wrapped the schedule on March 27th.

Subuhii Joshi

REVELATION!

he wedding bells are ringing for South’s famous actress Hansika Motwani. In an Instagram post, Hansika made her relationship with businessman Sohail Kathuria official after sharing photos from the day he proposed to her. This came as a shocking surprise for all her fans as the news came out of nowhere. In addition to that, another set of pictures has become viral online. Hansika could be seen smiling brightly during her future husband’s first marriage!

Fans are going crazy over these photos of Hansika posing at the first wedding of Sohail Kathuria.

Before getting engaged to Hansika, Sohail had taken his wedding vows with Rinki Bajaj. Hansika, who was one of the wedding guests, could be seen posing with Rinki.

However, it appears that Sohail and Rinki’s marriage did not stand the test of time.

But at the moment, Sohail, who is deeply in love with Hansika, has decided to marry her. He proposed

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SUBUHII’S SPECIAL BIRTHDAY

HANSIKA’S SHOCKING

T

BUZZ

to her in the most Bollywood way possible when he popped the question to her in front of the Eiffel Tower. Although the date has not been formally announced, there have been reports of preparations beginning in the house.

ubuhii Joshi turned a year smarter on October 29. The Big Buzz actor’s birthday celebration was a low-key affair with her loved ones around her.

“I didn’t want to do anything really big and didn’t have the time because I was shooting. So, I couldn’t travel far and went to Goa for two days. My birthday is of course very important to me.

I think I’m somebody who gets excited about my birthday. I love celebrating it. My one birthday ritual is wherever I do that day, I have to go to a temple and pray at least once. I have been following that for years now,” she said.

Every time the actor gives herself something, but this year she did not. “Every year I buy a piece of jewellery or something, but this year I didn’t want to buy anything. I think this vacation was a gift to myself which was very much needed.”

Shahid’s relationship advice for Ishaan

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shaan Khatter is currently promoting ‘Phone Bhoot’ with co-stars Katrina Kaif and Siddhant Chaturvedi. The film is set to hit the screens tomorrow. The actors have been on a promotional spree for the film for a while now.

In one of the recent interviews, Ishaan revealed the best relationship advice he got from his brother Shahid Kapoor. He said that his bro has told him to not lose his own identity in a rel a t i o n s h i p.

Shahid told Ishaan to always be aware of who he is.

Ishaan is Shahid’s half-brother and shares a close bond with him and his wife Mira Rajput. Ishaan earlier confirmed his break up with Ananya on Koffee With Karan.

He said that he is single and hopes to remain friends with Ananya.

Hansika Motwani Sharvari Wagh

Ishaan Khatter