First India-Mumbai Edition-10th December 2022

MODI UNLIKELY TO VISIT RUSSIA THIS YEAR FOR ANNUAL SUMMIT

CYCLONE MANDOUS ALERT IN SOUTH GIRDING UP LOINS FOR THE WORST!

Moni Sharma

Chennai: Northern coastal Tamil Nadu witnessed light to moderate rainfall and some places heavy showers as the cyclonic storm ‘Mandous’ continued to move further closer to the State’s coastline, and it is set to cross the coast near starting mid-

night, the IMD said on Friday. A holiday has been declared for schools and colleges in Chennai, and other districts including Vellore, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Ranipet, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and Kancheepuram on Saturday due to rain forecast. Late Friday Mandous was 90km SE of Mamallapuram. P6

PARLIAMENT WINTER SESSION

Bill related to Uniform Civil Code passed in RS

First India Bureau

New Delhi: A controversial private member’s Bill that seeks to provide for a panel to prepare a Uniform Civil Code was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Friday. ‘The Uniform Civil Code in India Bill, 2020’ was introduced amid protests from Opposition parties.

BJP MP Kirodi Lal Meena moved for leave to introduce the Bill to provide for the constitution of nat’l inspection and investigation committee for preparation of a UCC and its implementation throughout India and for matters connected therewith during the pvt member’s business.

Congress, CPI, CPI(M), TMC protested against introduction of Bill saying it will “destroy” the social fabric and unity in diversity in country.

A private member bill to regulate appt of judges through National Judicial Commission was introduced in RS by CPI(M)’s Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya but AAP MP Raghav Chadha opposed it.

Buldhana

Buldhana: Four villages in Jalgaon Jamod taluka in Buldhana district of northern Maharashtra have written to the district administration, saying that they want to merge into Madhya Pradesh as their demands are not being fulfilled.

The demand comes against the backdrop of Karnataka Chief Minister recently claiming, amid tension over a border dispute, that some villages in southern Maharashtra’s Sangli district once wanted to be part of Karnataka because of their acute

water problem.

A letter by Sarpanch Rajesh Mohan and others said the villages of Bhingara, Gomal-1, Gomal -2 and Chalistapari, located near the MP border, are struggling to get basic amenities for the last 75 years.

Among other things, residents of these villages find it difficult to get the Scheduled Tribes certificate even though they are tribals, the letter claimed.

The villagers warned of agitation in front of Sub Divisional office on December 13 if their demands were not met.

Sandeep Shukla

Mumbai: Union Home Minister met with parliamentarians of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance--comprising the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and the Congress--led by NCP MP Supriya

Sule on Friday.

The delegation ap prised Shah of the tense situation that has arisen over the border dispute between Maha rashtra and Karnata ka, and also discussed other issues pertaining to Maharashtra.

Notably, the meeting comes a day after Shah was originally to have

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

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SC dismisses plea seeking disclosure of 2018 Collegium meeting details

First India Bureau

New Delhi: The SC on Friday dismissed a plea seeking disclosure of the details of a collegium meeting held on December 12, 2018 under the Right to Information Act, underlining a “tentative decision” of the multi-member body cannot be brought in the public domain.

A bench of Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar said only resolutions drawn and signed by all Collegium mem-

bers can be said to be a final decision. Tentative resolutions drawn upon discussion and consultation among the members cannot be said to be final unless they are signed by all of them, it said. SC said it cannot place reliance on re ports & interview of a former mem ber of Collegi um, and it doesn’t want to comment on remarks made by former judge.

Congress high command to decide Himachal CM

A one-line resolution was passed in the CLP meeting that the party high command will decide next CM in HP

First India Bureau

Mumbai (FIB): Vikas Walkar, father of Shraddha Walkar on Friday met Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. Later, he claimed his daughter would have been alive had Maha cops acted on a written plaint by her. She had written a letter in 2020 indicating her fears about being killed by Aaftab. He said that Fadnavis assured him that he will get justice. More on P8

New Delhi: The Himachal Pradesh Congress legislature party, which met on Friday, has decided that the next chief minister of the state will be decided by the party high command, MLA Sundar Thakur told media.

According to Thakur, a one-line resolution was passed in the legislature party meeting in

MAHA-K’TAKA BORDER ROW

RESCUE OPS ENTER 60 HRS TO SAVE 8-YR-OLD BOY STUCK IN BOREWELL

Shimla that the Congress high command will decide the next chief minister.

State Congress chief Pratibha Singh, former party chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and outgoing legislature party leader Mukesh Agnihotri are among the top contenders for the post.

SC NOTICE TO CENTRE ON AGE OF MARRIAGE FOR

New Delhi: The SC

Friday

filed by National Commission for Women (NCW) to make the minimum age of marriage for Muslim girls the same as that of persons belonging to other religions.

Centre

lead to violence, during the meeting, after which Shah called for the meeting with the CMs.

Meanwhile, a vigorous demonstration took place outside Maharashtra Bank in Bengaluru regarding the border dispute. According to those present, members of the Namma Karnataka Sena staged a protest against the Maharashtra government outside the bank located in Gandhinagar, after which the police detained them.

Four

villages seek to merge into MP MVA MPs meet Shah, apprise him of border tinderbox!

Delegation warned HM that situation could lead to violence; Shah to meet CMs of Maha, K’taka on Dec 14

l At least 10 flights cancelled in Chennai due to the Cyclone Mandous

Mandous brings heavy rain in Chennai; schools and colleges shut today

Chennai Division of the Southern Railway says trains may be cancelled

Landfall near Mamallapuram on late Friday and today morning A man stands on Kasimedu fishing harbour being hit by the high tides due to the strong winds triggered by Cyclone Mandous, in Chennai on Friday. —PHOTO BY ANI

Opposition move to block Uniform Civil Code bill rejected

The National Judicial Commission Bill introduced in Rajya Sabha, AAP opposes

Both the Parliament houses adjourned till 11am on December 12

BILL PASSED WITH 63 VOTES

COLLEGIUM APPROVES APPT OF THREE ADDL JUDGES AS PERMANENT JUDGES

BILLS INTRODUCED IN LS TO REVISE ST LISTS IN 4 STATES

WHAT IS THE BILL ABOUT?

With the Opposition members seeking withdrawal of the Bill, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar called for division and the motion for introduction of the Bill was passed with 63 votes in favour and 23 against it.

The SC Collegium headed by CJI DY Chandrachud on Friday approved the proposal for appointment of three Additional Judges as Permanent Judges in the Kerala High Court. The 2 Additional Judges whose names have been approved are Justices Abdul Rahim Musaliar Badharudeen, Viju Abraham and Mohammed Nias CP.

Four separate bills were introduced in Lok Sabha on Friday to revise the lists of Scheduled Tribes in as many states.

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda introduced the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bills for Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh.

Bill envisages a collection of laws to protect the personal rights of all citizens without considering religion. To become a law, a private member’s Bill needs to be endorsed by the government and cleared in both Houses of the Parl.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar conducts the proceedings of the House during the Winter Session of the Parliament, in New Delhi on Friday.

‘LONG BAIL HEARINGS A WASTE, IT SHOULDN’T EXCEED 10 MINS’ Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, senior-most judge of SC after CJI, on Friday disapproved of practice of filing lengthy bail applications and arguing “as if a final conviction has already taken place”. Bail application should be of 5 pages, arguments should not exceed 10 minutes, Justice Kaul said.

‘Shraddha had been alive if cops acted...’

MUSLIM GIRLS

Betul: The rescue operation to save eight-year-old Tanmay Sahu who fell into a 400-feet deep borewell in Mandavi village of MP’s Betul district, surpassed 60 hours on Friday. The boy fell into the borewell while playing on December 6.

on

issued notice to the

on a petition

SS Sukhu Pratibha Singh

Ahmedabad: TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale, who was arrested for the second time in three days on Thursday, has managed to get bail once again over an alleged “fake tweet” against PM Narendra Modi, party said on Friday.

New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi on Friday chaired a VC of Guvs, CMs, and LGs of UTs to discuss aspects relating to India’s G20 presidency. PM said G20 belongs to entire nation, is a unique opportunity to showcase country’s strengths.

TMC’S

CHAIRS

EQUAL RIGHTS ‘ TRANS PERSONS CAN APPLY TO CONSTABLE POSTS ONLINE’

State government on Friday told the Bombay HC that it would frame rules setting standards for their physical tests by February next year

Mumbai: A day after Bombay High Court pulled up Maharashtra government for framing guidelines to allow trans persons to participate in the police recruitment process, the state government on Friday came up with clear roadmap.

The government said that trans persons can apply online for police constable posts and that it would frame rules setting standards for their physical tests by February 2023.

The court was hearing a petition filed by the state government against the tribunal’s order directing it to create a provision for trans persons in the application form for posts under the home department.

A division bench, comprising of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Abhay Ahuja on Thursday rapped the state government for being in deep slumber and lagging behind in framing rules to allow trans community to participate in the recruitment process.

Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni

The government would modify its online website to include a third drop down for trans persons in the category of ‘sex’ in the online application form. Two posts for police constable would be kept vacant for trans community. The last date to submit the forms for everyone is extended till December 15. By December 13, the third drop down would be added.

told the bench that the government would modify its online website to include a third drop down for trans persons in the category of ‘sex’ in the online application form.

Adding further he mentioned that two posts for police constable would be kept vacant for trans persons.

“The last date to submit the forms for everyone is extended till December 15. By December 13, the third drop down would be added,” Kumbhakoni said.

WOMAN AND MINOR HELD FOR STEALING VALUABLES WORTH `9 LAKH FROM HOUSE

Palghar: The police have apprehended a woman and a minor for allegedly breaking into a house and stealing valuables worth more than Rs9 lakh in Palghar district, an official said on Friday. The theft had taken place in a house at Evershine City between November 07 and 23. After an investigation, the police arrested the woman and detained her minor accomplice, he said. The duo bought several luxury items using the stolen money. Police have recovered Rs4.30 lakh cash and the goods totally valued at Rs7.3 lakh from them, he added.

MSEDCL SEEKS BIDS FOR LONG-TERM PURCHASE OF 300MW OF WIND POWER

Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) has issued an invitation for bids for the long-term purchase of 300MW of wind energy from intrastate wind-generating projects. The winning bidder and MSEDCL will sign a power purchase agreement (PPA) for 12 years starting on the PPA execution date. The deadline for submitting online bids is January 06, 2023, and the established ceiling rate for the tender is Rs2.65 per kwh. Bidders will need to deposit Rs1,18,000 per MW for each project.

MUMBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SETS UP SIX FAST EV CHARGING STATIONS

Mumbai: Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) officials said on Friday that it has set up six fast-charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) on the premises as part of its plan to become carbon neutral. MIAL, which operates the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here commissioned these charging facilities at the multi-level car parking at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 as well as on the airside. They will cater to both the passengers as well as the guests visiting the airport. For privately owned EVs, commuters would be billed only for charging sessions, MIAL added.

STUDENTS GET STUCK IN SCHOOL LIFT FOR A SHORT WHILE, NO INJURIES REPORTED

Thane: On Friday afternoon, a group of school kids got stuck in a school lift but no one was hurt in the incident, an official said. “The lift may have got stuck due to overloading. The school staff immediately rescued all those stuck inside and no one was injured in the incident. Two 13-year-old children complained of uneasiness and were given first aid,” Regional Disaster Management Cell chief Avinash Sawant said.

As per the procedure, physical tests would be conducted once rules are framed, after which a written examination would be held for all candidates, he said.

The bench, in its order, said that the government shall frame rules by February 28, 2023 and then hold physical and written tests.

“It is directed that till rules are framed and physical tests are conducted, the state shall not proceed to conduct written tests,” the bench said.

HC reserves order on Anil Deshmukh’s bail plea in CBI case

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court reserved its order on the bail plea of former Home Minister of Maharashtra Anil Deshmukh in the CBI case.

The bench of Justice MS Karnik heard both CBI and Deshmukh on Thursday and said, “Closed for order”. He added that Deshmukh’s lawyers could give written notes by Friday, like the one the CBI had given.

Deshmukh’s bail plea was earlier rejected by the special CBI court, after which he approached the high court. The HC had already been granted him bail in the ED case.

Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, arguing for CBI, said that Deshmukh is an “influential person. The investigation is ongoing. He may interfere with the investigation in

ASG Anil Singh said Deshmukh being an influential person could interfere with the ongoing investigation into the pending aspects of the case

the other two pending aspects. Considering the seriousness of the allegation, no fault can be found with order of the special CBI court. He had taken all the evidence into consideration and wrote an order meticulously. He has independently considered the CBI case.”

Elgar Parishad case: Hany Babu moves HC seeking bail

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Former Delhi University professor Hany Babu, an accused in the Elgar ParishadMaoist links case who has been in jail for almost two years, has moved the Bombay High Court seeking temporary bail on health grounds.

He needed bail for three months for undergoing cataract surgery and getting treatment for upper abdominal pain and osteoarthritis at the private Breach Candy hospital here, his petition said.

The plea came up on Friday before a division bench of Justices AS Gadkari and PD Naik which posted it for hear-

ing on December 13 and directed the National Investigation Agency to file its response.

Babu claimed that he has lost vision to a significant degree due to cataract and also suffers from acute and unrelenting pain in the

stomach and knees.

Authorities at the Taloja Central Prison violated his fundamental right to healthcare and medical treatment which is guaranteed under Article 21 (right to personal liberty) of the Constitution, it alleged.

‘Akashzep’ will inspire youth to join IAF, says ACM Chaudhari

Pune: ‘Akashzep’, a book written by Air Marshal Bhushan Gokhale (retd) and his wife Meghana, will motivate youngsters to join the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said, while releasing it at an event in Pune.

SB Mujumdar, founder and president of Symbiosis and Chancellor of Symbiosis International Uni-

Border row: MSRTC resumes

Kolhapur-Belgaum bus services

Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) on Friday partially resumed bus services to Karnataka from Kolhapur in southern Maharashtra after consulting local police authorities, an official said here.

The state-owned public transport body had suspended 382 out of 1,156 services to Karnataka, mainly between Kolhapur and Belgaum via Nipani, after protests erupted over the border row between the two states.

Some MSRTC buses were defaced in Karnataka. Buses from Karnataka were similarly targeted in Maharashtra.

The MSRTC spokesperson said that nor-

mal services between Kolhapur and Belgaum via Nipani restarted from Friday afternoon.

The long-pending border dispute between the two states

versity, and Nitin Karmalkar, former vice chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University were also present.

Mumbai: A total of 24 candidates will contest for 10 Sarpanch posts in the Panvel Taluka after the withdrawal of nominations by nearly 21 candidates in the Gram Panchayat elections of the area.

A total of 75 candidates who filed their nomination for the post of Gram Panchayat

members have withdrawn their nominations too. Now, 179 candidates are in the fray for 94 seats of members of 10 Gram Panchayats.

The election process is being carried out for ten Gram Panchayats whose terms have expired in Panvel taluka. The sarpanch will be elected directly by voters and the election will be held on December 18.

revolves mainly around Belagavi, a border district in Karnataka which Maharashtra claims because of its sizable Marathi-speaking population.

PMC to construct 2 STPs to cater 11 villages

The Pune Municipal Corporation will construct a 93.5 MLD plant at Manjari

First India Bureau

Pune: Two sewage treatment plants, with a total capacity of 105.5 million litre per day (MLD) to cater needs of 11 villages merged in 2017, will be constructed soon by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

The plants, one at Manjari with a capacity of 93.5 MLD and the other at Mundhwa-Keshavnagar with a capacity of 12 MLD, will be constructed by the civic body at a cost of Rs177.88 crore. These sewage treatment plants will cater to Shivane, Uttamna-

gar, Dhayari, Ambegaon Budruk, Undri, Uruli Devachi, Phursungi, Mundhwa, Hadapsar

and Lohegaon. Rs393 crore would be required for completing the work in four years, as per the

plan created for developing a network of sewage lines and the treatment of sewage.

“There is rapid urbanisation in the newly included 11 villages and it is necessary to take up the STP construction work and sewage lines with immediate effect,” said Jagdish Khanore, Incharge, Civic Sewage Treatment Department.

The PMC owns the land for the plant in Mundhwa-Keshavnagar while the land required for the plant in Manjari is owned by Mahatma Phule Agriculture University.

First India Bureau

and a 12 MLD plant at MundhwaKeshavnagar at a cost of `177.88 crore

24 candidates in the fray for 10 sarpanch posts in Panvel Taluka

First India Bureau

—Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, Advocate General

Anil Deshmukh

The state-owned public transport body had suspended 382 out of 1,156 services to Karnataka.

Former Delhi University professor Hany Babu —FILE PHOTO

First India Bureau

‘Akashzep’ shares the life journey, experiences and incidents during his long service in the IAF.

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari —FILE PHOTO

Nod for felling of 20K mangrove trees for bullet train project

In a 2020 petition, the NHSRCL had assured the court it would plant five times the total mangrove trees that were earlier proposed to be felled

Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Friday permitted the National High Speed Rail Corp. (NHSRCL) to cut around 20,000 mangrove trees in the city and neighbouring districts of Palghar and Thane for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.

A divi sion bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Abhay Ahuja allowed the plea filed by the NHSRCL seeking permission to cut the mangrove trees.

As per a 2018 order of the high court, there exists a “total freeze” on the destruction of mangroves across the state and permission has to be sought from the high court each time an authority wishes to fell mangroves for any public project.

As per the said order, a 50m buffer zone must be created around the

area that hosts the mangroves and no construction activity or dumping of debris can be permitted within this buffer zone.

In its petition filed in 2020, the NHSRCL had assured the court it would plant five times the total mangrove trees that were earlier proposed to be felled and the number would not be reduced

Transport, Education dept intervene to end private school van strike

First India Bureau

Panvel: The issue over the school consent letter for a van license to ferry students seems to come to a halt. A meeting of the Regional Transport Office (RTO), District Education Department, schools representatives and School Van Owners Association was held on Thursday over the matter.

Schools must give consent letters while clarifying the government's decision, said officials of the transport and education department. “Education department also warned that if schools are found avoiding issuing consent letters, legal action by the education department can be initiated,” said Pandurang

Non-receipt of the consent letter stalled the renewal of the school van license. Hence, the conveyance of students was taking place without permission. On the other hand, schools were reluctant to provide consent letter.

The RTO Panvel and District Education Department quickly swung into action and called an urgent meeting after the strike and agitation by Panvel Vidyarthi Vahak

for the same.

The plea was opposed by ‘Bombay Environmental Action Group’, an NGO, on the grounds that no study was undertaken about the survival rate of saplings to be planted as a compensatory measure and the Environmental Impact Assessment report for felling trees has not been provided.

The NHSRCL had de-

nied the objections raised by the NGO and claimed that it had availed required approvals for the felling of trees for the project of public importance and would compensate the loss occurring due to the same by planting of saplings as directed.

The bullet train project received a major push after the Eknath Shinde-Bharatiya Ja-

ARGUMENTS

NHSRCL’s plea was opposed by NGO ‘Bombay Environmental Action Group’, on the grounds that no study was undertaken about the survival rate of saplings to be planted as a compensatory measure and the Environmental Impact Assessment report for felling trees has not been provided. The NHSRCL had denied the NGO’s objections and claimed that it had availed the required approvals and would compensate the loss by planting of saplings as directed.

nata Party (BJP) government came to power in June this year.

The dispensation has given all approvals for this project, the foundation of which was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2017.

Notably, the mangrove trees are extremely important to the coastal ecosystems they inhabit.

‘Sin’ City: Two sex rings busted, six rescued

Palghar/Thane: Police rescued two women from the flesh trade during a raid at a farmhouse in Palghar district’s Vasai taluka, an official said on Friday.

The police arrested a man, who acted as an agent in the sex racket, and registered a case against two others in this connection, he said.

In a separate incident, a 24-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly running a sex racket in Thane in Maharashtra, a police official said on Friday.

The woman was held by a team of the Thane police's Anti HumanTrafficking Cell (AHTC) on a tip off on Thursday, said Senior Inspector Mahesh Patil.

“Four women, including two sisters, in the 17-25 age group who were being pushed into the flesh trade by the ac-

A 24-year-old woman was also arrested for allegedly running the racket in Thane

cused have been rescued. She has been charged under Indian Penal Code and Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act,” he added.

The Palghar operation was carried out by AHTC officials from the Mira BhayandarVasai Virar police commissionerate on Wednesday.

“Acting on a tip-off, the farmhouse at Kalamb, located within the limits of Arnala police station, was raided. Two women were rescued from the premises and an agent was arrested,” the police said in a release.

An offence was registered against the owner of the farmhouse along with its operator, they said.

The case against them was registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, they said.

Patra Chawl case: Raut appears in court

Mumbai: Sanjay Raut, Rajya Sabha MP, Shiv Sena on Friday appeared before a special court in connection with a money laundering case pertaining to the Patra Chawl redevelopment project in the

Traders back Oppn call of Dec 13 ‘bandh’

Pune (PTI): A traders' body in Pune has decided to extend support to the December 13 'bandh' called by the opposition parties as a mark of protest against Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's remarks on Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

The Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Sambhaji

Brigade and some other outfits have given the bandh call. Fatehchand Ranka, president of the Federation

of Traders Associations of Pune (FATP), said in a release on Thursday that the office-bearers of the

three parties and Smabhaji Brigade had appealed to the traders' body to support the bandh called for condemning the governor's statements.

"Following the appeal made by these parties, an internal meeting of all the members of the federation was organized and it was decided to support the bandh by keeping the shops closed till 3 pm on Tuesday," Ranka said.

CYCLONE MANDOUS LIKELY TO BRING SHOWERS

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Some parts of the state might receive unseasonal rainfall in the next 48 hours due to the cyclonic storm Mandous over the Bay of Bengal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said

on Friday. Mild or medium rainfall is expected to hit the Konkan and Marath-

MAHARASHTRA BOARD EXAMS

wada region, and most districts of central Maharashtra awfter 48 hours, Sushma Nair of IMD Mumbai said.

The cyclonic storm ‘Mandous’ over Bay of Bengal is expected to make landfall after 24 hours, she said.

Weather conditions

are expected to change in Maharashtra due to vapours from the Bay of Bengal and vapours being pulled from the Arabian Sea, the official said.

Mandous, pronounced ‘man-dous’ is an Arabic word and it means treasure box.

metropolis. It was Raut’s first appearance before special judge RN Rokade after being

granted bail in the case on November 9. As per his bail conditions, Raut is required to attend the hearings of the case, which at present is in the stage of hearing before framing of charges. The court on Friday adjourned the matter to January 24.

CRUCIAL READ

19-YEAR-OLD MECHANIC SEXUALLY ASSAULTS MINOR INSIDE LIFT, ARRESTED

No home centre, extra time for SSC, HSC students

Class X and XII Board exams to be held following pre-pandemic norms; old guidelines to be brought back

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) has announced that students appearing for the 2023 Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) board exams in February-March will not be allowed to take the exams in their

school and that no extra time would be given to the students for completion of their papers.

According to the officials, class X and Class XII board exams will be conducted in the original, pre-Covid manner, and the old guidelines will be brought back.

“The facilities of home centres and 30 minutes of extra time were introduced during the pandemic. Now that

it is not too big a danger, we bring back the old rules,” said Anuradha

The facilities of home centres and 30 minutes of extra time were introduced during the pandemic. Now that it is not too big a danger, we bring back the old rules. During the pandemic, the board also gave students liberty by waiving off 25% of the total syllabus. However, now students will have to prepare for the entire portion, without anything being deducted.

Oak, secretary, MSBSHSE

ANTI-NARCOTICS CELL ARRESTS MAN WITH GANJA

MAN STABBED TO DEATH IN THANE, 4 ARRESTED

Mumbai: The Anti-Narcotics Cell of the Navi Mumbai police has arrested a 49-year-old man and seized marijuana worth Rs22,000, an official said. Based on a tip-off, Senior Police Inspector BS Syed carried out a raid early this week at Sanpada Mafco Market and caught Ashok Muthinath Pandey with 1.1kg of Ganja. Later, a case was registered against him.

Thane: Mumbai Police have arrested 4 persons for allegedly stabbing their neighbour to death and assaulting two of his cousins. Both the parties used to have frequent drinking sessions, and got into an argument a few days ago. In order to avenge, the accused instigated a fight with the victims, which soon escalated and resulted in one man getting stabbed to death, said the police.

POLICE CONSTABLE KILLS SELF, FOUND HANGING IN CATTLE SHELTER AT HOME

Mumbai: A Police constable Kaluram Chaitram Ahire (57) allegedly hanged himself to death at his native village in Dhule district of north Maharashtra, an official said on Friday. “Ahire

Oak, Secretary, MSBSHSE. She further added

that “During the pandemic, the board also gave students liberty by waiving off 25% of the total syllabus. However, now students will have to prepare for the entire

portion, without anything being deducted.”

However, principals of several schools are not very happy with the state board shifting back to the old rules.

Humane, President, Panvel Vidyarthi Vahak Sansthan.

Sansthan led by Pandurang Humane.

First India Bureau

was posted at the state secretariat in Mumbai for security. He was found hanging in the cattle shelter at his residence at Pohbara in Sakri taluka on Thursday,” the official said, adding that he went to his native place a few days ago and the reason behind the suicide is yet to be known.

Mumbai: Mumbai Police have arrested a 19-year-old AC mechanic for allegedly assaulting a minor girl in Raigad's Navi Mumbai area, said police on Friday. The accused, Mohammed Akhtar Mathar Hussain was visiting a nearby flat, when he took the victim playing nearby and assaulted her inside a lift, Officials Said. A case has been registered against the accused, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Azadnagar, under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

The 508km high speed rail corridor between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is expected to cut travel time from six-and-a-half hours to two-and-a-half hours. —FILE PHOTO

First India Bureau

Students appearing for the 2023 SSC and HSC board exams will not be allowed to take the test in their school. —FILE PHOTO

—Anuradha

NaMo: GIVING HIS EAR TO THE PEOPLE’S WOES

The Phenomenal Prime Minister: A bigger, better listener than the orator he is!

The narrator bring home to us the warmth, the peace and the positivity that PM Modi infuses in all his interactions. He is the PM and has a hundred pressing tasks to accomplish. But the 10 minutes he devotes during a meeting with someone, he is present completely. He makes the speaker feel super important and that is the quality that makes him truly phenomenal!

It was amazing that for 8 months back to back Modi spoke about “Sports for All.”

When you look at government policies, whether it is Khelo India, Fit India, Yoga Day, it is all around Sports for All! If PM says something, it makes a difference. He knows how to make a difference!

My interaction with Modiji has been really remarkable! Of course, we view him as our leader, but for me to get a letter from him post the

He spoke about Indianness and being the pride of India, and that remained as a big thing for me.

Well there was something that I began to feel very strongly about. While sport for everyone is a very important thing and physical literacy as a movement had just started, my experience in sports has taught me that it is not just about winning medals and trophies and I felt that sports was losing the essence of what it was meant

‘WHEN I MET MODI, HE DID NOT INTERRUPT ME FOR 9 MINUTES’

PMO called up and said “Done! Come to the Parliament House! We have a meeting arranged with the PM!” It was scheduled for 11 o’clock. I had no clue for how much time the meeting was slotted but when I went there I realized it was seven and a half minutes before the next meeting. He is somebody who did not interrupt me, at all, for 9 minutes. People always say that he is a great orator. I think, he is a bigger, better listener.

‘MODI’S WARMTH CAN NEVER LEAVE ONE UNTOUCHED’

In one of the functions recently, in India, most of the officials were sitting and the players were standing. We could see on his face that he was not liking what was happening. But he is PM Modi. He immediately figured out a way and quickly made it a point that he met each of the players personally. For me, I know one thing. Even if he is in a crowd, he connects with each one of the crowd! His warmth can never leave any one untouched.

for 5 to 6 minutes. Nobody is going to listen to you for so long! So go prepared!”

As I go in for this meeting, the first thing is that he makes me feel so warm. He asked me to pose for a photograph as his social media team was there, and then he says “Bolo Gopi, kya hai? (Yes Gopi! Tell me what it is.” And then I started talking. I actually spoke for 9 minutes. I was surprised at my own self! I could not remember speaking continuously like this to someone, one-onone, at a personal level in this way. People always say that he is a great orator.

I think, he is a bigger, better listener.

And that is the point that people actually miss out. He is somebody who did not interrupt me, at all, for 9 minutes.

And at seven and a half minutes, the door opened, he just glanced at his watch, and then he nodded and the person went off. And then the meeting continued till about 15 minutes. So I think one of the most striking qualities you realize is his ability to listen and his warmth. In a one-on-one interaction I real-

ized that this is phenomenal. Then I remember something very vividly. He took out his pen and a small notepad, and wrote something. And then that was it! I came out.

And it was amazing that for eight months back to back he spoke about “Sports for All.” When you look at government policies, whether it is Khelo India, Fit India, Yoga Day, it is all around Sports for All! If PM Modi says something, it makes a difference. He knows how to make a difference!

Today I have realized, more than then, that the Prime Minister, with his kind of problems, actually had so much of time and detail to figure this out. I remember this time, when I won the international Olympic Award for being the coach of the year, I asked once again for permission to meet him. It was 3 o’clock and I enquired at his office if it was even possible to meet sir. I could come at some other appropriate time as well. And the answer

I get is that “I could come at 9 in the morning!” I was elated and shocked. He had been on that long tour abroad where he was visiting seven countries in seven days and was landing back at 4 am. Between 4 am and 9 am too he was super tied up. He visited Arun Jaitley’s family as Jaitleyji had passed away. Normally one would expect a per-

son to be super tired at 9 am who has just done so much in the past week, and here he was – as fresh an apple! Well, glowing is the word. He spent 15 minutes and I was almost feeling guilty. You are in a hurry. You have ten things to do. But he is there, sitting in front of you and telling you that he has no other work but to listen to you. You know, it is this quality that makes you feel as though you are super important. It makes you feel like he has no other work more important than actually being with you. I think it is this quality of PM Modi that is unbelievable! It is almost sage-like.

In one of the functions recently, in India the typical tendency is that most of the officials are sitting and the players are standing. You could see on his face that he was not liking what was happening. But he is PM Modi. He immediately figured out a way and quickly made it a point that he met each of the players personally. That again is something supremely remarkable. For me, I know one thing. Even if he is in a crowd, he connects with each one of the crowd! His warmth can never leave any one untouched.

WINTER SESSION

UNION MIN NITYANAND SAYS THAT THE WORLD’S LARGEST FOOD SECURITY SCHEME GAREEB KALYAN ANNA YOJNA COVERED 80 CR BENEFICIARIES

Mission of Modi government's welfare schemes boon for poor: Union MoS Rai

New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Friday described the welfare schemes of the Narendra Modi government as a “boon” while highlighting the effectiveness of various schemes rolled out for the underprivileged.

Rai said that the world’s largest food security scheme Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojna covered 80 crore beneficiaries.

About the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) which was implemented in April 2020 amid the COVID pandemic, he said, “The government has spent approximately Rs. 3.45 lakh crore so far and another Rs. 44,762 Crore will be spent till December 2022 taking the total expenditure under PMGKAY to nearly Rs. 3.91 lakh crore,” Rai said.

“This will cover nearly 80 crore beneficiaries across India and like before would be fully

The schemes of the Centre in Bihar are not being implemented properly, the Bihar government has returned 18,000 crores for every household water tap scheme but The Modi government is determined to uplift the poor and eliminate every obstacle that comes in it.

Nityanand Rai Union MoS for Home Affairs

Government of India,” he added.

Mentioning the Jan Dhan Yojana, the Minister said that as on August 2022, more than

ciaries banked under PMJDY since inception, amounting to Rs 1,73,954 crore as part of financial inclusion to support the overall economic development of marginalised sections of society.

“PMJDY accounts grow 3-fold from 14.72 crores in March 2015 to 46.25 crore as on August 10, 2022. 56 per cent JanDhan account holders are women and 67 per cent Jan Dhan accounts in rural and semi-urban areas” he said.

He said that the Modi government has focused on the health of poor people across the country and their welfare.

Will take traditional sports int’l, says Thakur

New Delhi (PTI): Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday assured the Lok Sabha that traditional sports such as Mallakhamb, Thang Ta, Yogasana, Gatka and Kalpetta will soon go international, and the ministry will open 1,000 Khelo India centres across the country by August 15 next year.

As the LS resumed on Thursday debate on sports and the steps taken by the government in this regard, several MPs urged the government to create sports infrastructure in rural areas and initiate measures to include rural youth in selections.

In his reply on Friday, Thakur said govt is focused towards identifying talent from the rural areas and training them to become international athletes.

Whether it is paralympics, deaf olympics or summer olympics, we have won most medals. Seven in the Olympics, 19 in the paralympics and 16 in the deaf olympics. We worked towards changing perceptions towards sports.

areas. “We will start with opening 1,000 Khelo India centres. The process for 733 such centres has already started and by next August 15, we will finish the work of opening 1,000 Khelo India centres,” the minister said.

KUDANKULAM N-PLANT’S 4 UNITS WILL BE COMPLETED BY 2027: SINGH

New Delhi: The remaining four 1000 MW units of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant will be completed by 2027, said Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Atomic Energy and Space. In a statement laid on the table of the Rajya Sabha in reply to a question, Jitendra Singh said, “At present, Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Units 1 and 2 of 1000 MW capacity each are already in operation and the remaining four units of 1000 MW each are under construction.” “On their progressive completion, the full capacity of the Kudankulam site of 6000 MW is expected to be reached by the year 2027,” he said. The projected installed capacity of the Kudankulam site is 6000 MW, comprising of six nuclear power reactors of 1000 MW capacity each.

INDIA’s CANCER CASES PROJECTED TO INCREASE BY 12.8%: MANDAVIYA

New Delhi: The estimated number of cancer cases in the country in 2020 was 13,92,179 and it is projected to increase by 12.8%, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed LS citing National Cancer Registry Programme data.Responding to a question, he said patients with cancer are getting treatment at various health facilities, including district hospitals, medical colleges, central institutes like AIIMS and private hospitals.Relevant data related to patients registered for treatment is maintained by institutions & hospitals. Under RAN, financial assistance is provided to patients belonging to families living below poverty line, suffering from major life threatening diseases for treatment, he said.

GOVT SHOULD DISCUSS INDIA-CHINA BORDER ISSUES IN PARL: CONGRESS

New Delhi: Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday said that the government should discuss the border issues between India and China instead of reciting about G20. “In Ladakh, the Chinese Army has infiltrated and made over 200 shelters with accommodation facilities. Now, our Army isn’t allowed to patrol in farther areas, If this goes like this then the situation might get tense at Siachen Glacier,” Chowdhury told ANI. “It’s imperative that government discuss the situation of India-China border issues (in Parliament) instead of reciting G20,” he said. The Congress leader criticised the government’s November 2016 decision to demonetise high-value currency notes, claiming the move did not meet the desired goals as cash in circulation and fake currency have gone up.

BJP RESPECTS ALL INSTITUTIONS: RIJIJU ON JUDICIAL APPT ROW

Anurag

Thakur Union Sports Minister

He said the demand is that Khelo India centres must be opened in rural

He recalled PM Modi’s remark that when a sportsman wins in a game, it gives Indians a chance to celebrate the concept of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”.

‘No report of starvation deaths from states, UTs’

New Delhi (PTI): There is no report of starvation deaths from states and Union Territories, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.

Responding to a question, Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said the Global Hunger Index did

MEETING FOR A PURPOSE

Global Hunger Index (GHI) does not reflect India’s true picture as it is a flawed measure of ‘Hunger’. It should not be taken at face value as it is neither appropriate nor representative of hunger prevalent in a country.

Smriti Irani, Union Women & Child Development Minister

not reflect India’s true picture as it was a flawed measure of “hunger”.

It should not be taken at face value as it is nei-

ther appropriate nor representative of hunger prevalent in a country, she said.India ranked 107th of 121 countries in

the Global Hunger Index - 2022 with its child wasting rate, at 19.3 per cent, being the highest in the world. Responding to another question, Irani provided data as per which 140,575 children went missing since 2019 and 125,445 children had been recovered during the same period.

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing winter session of the parliament, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday took a jibe at the Opposition over the Congress’ adjournment motion notice on the Centre’s confrontation with the judiciary and said that BJP respects all institutions of the country. “We aren’t like the Congress party that overturns everything and captures institutions. BJP respects all institutions of the country,” said Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju. His remarks came after Congress

Rajnath, Yediyurappa, Munda central observers for BJP MLAs’ meet to pick Gujarat CM today

Bhupendra Patel submits his resignation to Acharya Devvrat

New Delhi (PTI): Senior BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, B S Yediyurappa and Arjun Munda were appointed on Friday as central observers for the meeting of party’s new MLAs in Gujarat to pick the next CM.

The BJP registered a historic victory in Gujarat on Thursday by

clinching 156 seats in the 182-member House.

The BJP has called a meeting of its newly elected legislators today morning to elect legislature party leader who will be the next CM.

BJP has announced earlier that Bhupendra Patel will continue as its CM in the state.

Gandhinagar (ANI): Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel submitted his resignation to Governor Acharya Devvrat after BJP registered a historic win in State Assembly polls ahead of formation of his new government.

Patel will take oath as CM again on Dec 12, BJP state president CR Paatil said that PM Narendra Modi & Union Home Minister Amit

Shah will attend the swearing-in. Patel visited the Raj Bhavan in

First India Bureau

MP Manish Tewari gave an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss “the confrontation with the judiciary brought to the fore by recent statements made by various Government functionaries, including the Union Law Minister.”

Nityanand Rai

Anurag Thakur

Smriti Irani

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann meets with Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the shifting of the barbed wire on the border, strengthening the police force to prevent the ever-increasing incidents of drones and other issues, in New Delhi on Friday. Mann also pointed out that 2 important state bills stipulating harsher punishment for perpetrators of sacrilege were pending since 2018, awaiting Presidential assent. —PHOTO BY ANI

Gandhinagar to tender his resignation after swept Gujarat polls.

Bhupendra Patel (3rd L) with State BJP President CR Patil and other ministers, meets Governor Acharya Devvrat to tender resignation of his government, in Gandhinagar on Friday.

Rajnath Singh B S Yediyurappa Arjun Munda

RAIN FURY IN CHENNAI

First India Bureau

Chennai: The IMD said Mandous lay centered 440km southeast of Chennai and may weaken into a cyclonic storm by forenoon on December 9. “The cyclone interacts with the sea surface temperature, surrounding and upper atmosphere and the weather is meant to change continuously,” said S Balachandran, deputy director general, IMD, Chennai. IMD has is-

All precautionary measures have been taken by govt & the officers are regularly monitoring the situation. Govt will ensure protec tion of the people. District-wise monitoring of the cyclone is being done. I request people to follow govt orders & cooperate with us. —MK Stalin, TN CM

sued a red alert for Kancheepuram, Chengalpet and Villupuram for December 9 as these districts are likely to receive extremely heavy rainfall (21cm

IN THE COURTYARD

or more) at one or two places. The agency issued an orange alert to eight districts today. Chennai and Tiruvallur are likely to receive heavy to very

SDRF TEAMS DEPLOYED

‘Be sympathetic to needs of deprived sections’

Dehradun (PTI): President Droupadi Murmu on Friday asked IAS trainees at Mussoorie to be sympathetic to the deprived sections when they play a role in policy-making as civil servants and asserted that real development is achieved only when all stakeholders are taken along.Addressing the trainee officers at the concluding ceremony of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy Of Administration’s 97th foundation course, she said the trainee officers of the academy are in a position to translate India of their dreams into a reality.

Theavy rainfall (7 cm to 20 cm) on December 10. The government, meanwhile, said it was prepared for emergency situations. 12 state and national disaster

Civil service is the path to serving the nation. It is a principlebased career in which character plays a significant role the president said. “You must always carry with you the academy’s motto which says character is the highest virtue.” “You are going to play a

Modi, others greet Sonia on her B’day

vital role in the country’s policy-making process over the next 25 years. If you are sensitive to the needs of the deprived sections you will achieve your goal.

Real development comes about only when all stakeholders are taken along.“Setting the country on the path

of progress is both your Constitutional responsibility & moral duty,” said the president, who is on her first visit to hill state after assuming office. “ I appeal to you to implement the government’s environment conservation programmes with total dedication,” she said.

to its suggestion.

New Delhi (PTI): SC slapped a cost of Rs 25,000 on a petitioner who had sought compensation of Rs 75 lakh from Google India for ads shown on YouTube which allegedly had explicit content.While dismissing PIL, the apex court termed as “atrocious” the PIL filed by a MP resident who claimed that ads diverted him & he could not clear a competitive exam.

New Delhi (PTI): SC asked army to put its ‘house in order’ saying that it has not been “fair” to women officers alleging delay in promotions after being granted permanent commission. A bench comprising CJ D Y Chandrachud & Justice P S Narasimha was hearing a PIL of 34 women officers alleging that junior male officers are being considered over them for promotions.

Shillong (PTI): Meghalaya HC has ordered an interim stay on physical demarcation on ground in connection with an inter-State border pact signed by Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma & his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma had in March signed an MoU for demarcating border in at least six of 12 contested locations that often raised tensions between two States. Justice HS Thangkhiew ordered interim stay till next date of hearing on February 6, 2023, on a petition filed by four ‘traditional chiefs’ of Meghalaya.”

New Delhi (PTI): Several Congress leaders, PM Narendra Modi and leaders across the political sides greeted former party chief Sonia Gandhi on her birthday on Friday, December 9, 2022, with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge saying her "indomitable spirit" in the wake of adversity has inspired millions.

The former Congress president is in Rajasthan on her 76th birthday and is spending time with her chil-

EX-ANDAMAN TOP OFFICER NARAIN, ACCUSED IN RAPE CASE, HOSPITALISED

Port Blair (PTI): Former CS of Andaman & Nicobar Islands Jitendra Narain, accused of involvement in an alleged gang-rape case, was admitted at GB Pant Hospital in Port Blair after he complained of chest discomfort and fever on Thursday night.Police sources said, doctors at GB Pant examined him and decided to admit him for few more health check-ups. Narain was in Jail custody at Prathrapur District correctional center in connection with rape of a 21-year-old woman.

dren Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.In a tweet, Mr. Kharge said, "Extending my warm birthday greetings to CPP Chair-

person, Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji. Her grace, dedication, indomitable spirit and dignity in the wake of adversity has inspired millions. I

CRUCIAL READ

TRS IS NOW BRS OFFICIALLY

wish her a long and healthy life".

The Congress, from its official Twitter handle, said, "Warm birthday wishes to Smt Sonia Gandhi who epitomises sacrifice, courage & dedication. Her sense of duty and grace is an inspiration."

Several top Congress leaders including party gen secy organisation KC Venugopal, Sachin Pilot, Randeep Surjewala and Shashi Tharoor, wished Ms. Sonia Gandhi on her birthday.

ABNORMAL SOUND

Arvind Kejriwal failed to make inroads in Gujarat!

INDRANI’S PIL TO RECALL WITNESS ATTEMPT TO PROLONG TRIAL, SAYS CBI

Mumbai

ON A WINNING SPREE

Historic win of PM’s BJP in Guj grabs global headlines

New Delhi (ANI):

Global news outlets have widely reported on the landslide victory of BJP in Gujarat where PM Narendra Modi led a campaign to a record win on his home turf.

On Thursday, the ruling BJP recorded a historic win in Gujarat, winning 156 seats. The BJP’s 7th consecutive Assembly poll win in Gujarat is also its biggest since the founding of this state in 1960. The Straits Times of Singa-

pore, the Nik kei Asia, Al Jazeera, etc were among the global publications which displayed pho tographs of jubi lant celebrations of BJP’s win.

British publication The Guardian reported that PM Modi had given a significant boost to BJP, a sign of party’s

pan’s Nikkei Asia attributed this win to PM Modi’s popularity in Jawaharlal Nehru University prof Ajay Gudavarthy told Al Jazeera that BJP’s comfortable win in Guj shows a deeper consolidation of Hindu vote.

Shamsher Singh

New Delhi: Before the assembly elections in Gujarat, it seemed that Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party would cut some votes of the BJP as well, but it could not do so. On the contrary, in the fight between Arvind Kejriwal and Congress, BJP’s supporters became more united and BJP’s vote percentage went above 53 percent. In fact, Arvind Kejriwal played the game of Hindutva in the Gujarat elections. He and other leaders of his party did not speak anything on the release of the rapists of Bilkis Bano and on the contrary said that it is not their issue. Kejriwal took the bet of putting the picture of Ganesha and

Lakshmi on the Indian currency i.e. Rupee in between the elections. But neither of the two bets worked for Kejriwal in Gujarat. His appeal to the pro-BJP Hindu voters did not work. That’s why BJP’s vote increased from 49 percent last time to 53 percent. This also proved that people are not yet ready to accept AAP. They have the option of BJP as a party and Narendra Modi and Amit Shah as Hindu leaders, so no one else can be accepted, at least in front of them. It is possible that Kejriwal’s appeal may have worked in other states outside Gujarat, but in Gujarat he could not cut BJP’s vote and by cutting more than 13 percent votes of Congress, he still could not achieve much.

Pratibha Singh among 5 IAS transferred in UP

Ahtesham Siddiqui

Lucknow: 5 IAS officers have been transferred in the bureaucracy of Uttar Pradesh wherein, IAS Pratibha Singh has been transferred to the position of Joint Magistrate in Amroha. Moreover, IAS Pratibha Singh’s Telangana cardre has changed to UP on marital ground after which the appointment department has

accorded her first posting while her husband IPS Aditya Lehenga is posted as SP Amroha.

IAS AV Raja Mauli has been made UP’s new Secretary, Home; while IAS Rajesh Kumar has been removed from Director, Social Welfare and made Special Secretary, Revenue.

Additionally, IAS Khempal Singh has been made Special Secretary.

parts of India beyond conventional big metros, thus bringing out uniqueness of each part of our country.

President Droupadi Murmu presents a degree to a student during the 3rd convocation of Doon University, in Dehradun, Friday.

You should perform in such a manner that when you open your time capsule in 2047 you have the satisfaction of having achieved your targets.

—Droupadi Murmu, President

New Delhi: The SC on Friday directed the Centre and the National Medical Commission (NMC) to find out a solution to accommodate those undergraduate medical students who have returned from foreign countries like Ukraine and China, saying their career will be left in lurch if no solution is found at this stage. A bench of justices B R Gavai & Vikram Nath said if necessary, Centre may appoint a panel of experts to find a solution to problem of students. The top court said it hoped Centre will give due importance

FOREIGN RETURNED MED STUDENTS: SC DIRECTS CENTRE, NMC TO RESOLVE ISSUE

HC ORDERS INTERIM STAY ON ASSAMMEGHALAYA BORDER PACT

SC REJECTS PIL SEEKING ` 75 L COMPENSATION

ARMY NOT BEING FAIR TO WOMEN OFFICERS: SC

FROM WHEELS: VANDE BHARAT HALTED IN UP

Prayagraj (Agencies): Varanasi-bound Vande Bharat Express (train number 22436) was halted at Bharwari railway station, in UP's Kaushambi district under Prayagraj division of North Central Railway on Friday after the loco pilot heard some abnormal sound from the wheels of this self-propelled train.

Hyderabad (PTI): Marking the formal launch of TRS into national politics, party supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday unfurled the flag of Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) in the wake of the ECI approving the name change of TRS as BRS. Rao hoisted the BRS flag at the party headquarters here. Earlier, he signed on the papers concerned about the name change of TRS as BRS.

(PTI): CBI told a special court that plea by Indrani Mukerjea, a prime accused in Sheena Bora murder case, to recall witness Rahul Mukerjea at a future date is an attempt to prolong trial as she is out on bail. CBI, in its written response to Indrani’s PIL, said that her application was ‘not maintainable.’ Mukerjea has already deposed as a witness & was cross-examined by Indrani’s lawyer Ranjeet Sangle.

Narendra Modi @narendramodi

Birthday greetings to Smt. Sonia Gandhi Ji. Praying for her long and healthy life.

response force units had reached districts likely to be hit. Govt buses will not be operated at night. Public has been advised not to visit beaches.

NDRF,

Arvind Kejriwal

Sonia Gandhi

Houses swept away by the sea waves due to cyclone Mandous, in Puducherry on Friday.

—PHOTO BY PTI —PHOTO

BRIEFS

INVEST MORE, CEA URGES PVT SECTOR

New Delhi: Wheat acreage has increased by 25% so far in the onging rabi season at 255.76 lakh hectares mainly on higher sowing area in UP and MP. The area under coverage for wheat, which is the major crop in rabi season, stood at 203.91 lakh hectares in the same period last year.

Increase in wheat sowing area augurs well for the country as the domestic production had fallen to 106.84 million tonnes (MT) in the 2021-22 crop year from 106.84 MT in the previous year. —PTI

NOVEMBER THERMAL COAL IMPORTS AT TEN MONTH-LOW

New Delhi (PTI): Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran on Friday said private sector needs to increase capital expenditure as it may not be healthy for the public sector to continue to invest at the same pace as it did in the last decade.

The combined investment by Centre, states and public sector enterprises have gone up 3.5 times over the last 10 years from ` 6.8 lakh crore to ` 21.2 lakh crore currently.

"In the decade when the non-financial corporate sector and the banking system were repairing balance sheets, the public sector took over and kept up economic growth throughout the second decade of the millenium and it has continued well into the current decade as well," Nageswaran said at a CII's Global Economic Policy Summit 2022 here.

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

New Delhi: India’s thermal coal imports fell to the lowest levels in 10 months during Nov, data from consultancy Coalmint showed, mainly due to a rise in domestic coal production. The country imported 10.83 million tonnes of thermal coal in Nov, the data showed, compared with 12.03 million tonnes in Oct and 9.45 million tonnes in Nov 2021. Imports fell mainly due to higher production by state-run Coal India, which accounts for 80% of India’s coal output. —FIB

AIRTEL BEATS JIO TO GAIN MORE RMS IN SECOND QUARTER

The Chief Economic Advisor in the Finance Ministry said there was a need to decide whether to continue to scale up investment at the same pace or allow the private sector to start functioning as 'primary engine of capital formation' in the economy.

The corporate sector, he said, currently has a very healthy balance sheet and the bottom line and the balance sheets of banks and financial institutions have repaired and they are ready to lend. "Therefore it may not be necessary or may not be healthy for the public sector to keep ex-

ADB approves 250 million dollar loan for India

z CEA said private sector needs to increase capital expenditure as it may not be healthy for the public sector to continue to invest at the same pace as it did in the last decade

panding capital investment at the same pace.

"Capital expenditure has to continue to increase, but not at the same pace because we should not only be not crowding out the private sector but also ensuring that the combined investment spending by the public and private sector should not drive up the cost

z The combined investment by Centre, states and public sector enterprises have gone up 3.5 times over the last 10 years to `21.2 lakh crore

z Capex has to continue to increase, but not at the same pace because we should not only be not crowding out

of capital too much for the economy," Nageswaran said. Nageswaran's comments follows a nudge by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in September, where she sought to know from the industry what is holding it back from investing in manufacturing, even though foreign investors show confidence in India.

‘G20 Presidency opportunity to showcase India’s strength’

New Delhi (PTI): Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said India is one of the fastest growing economy in the world and stressed that the G20 Presidency offers the country a great opportunity to showcase its strength to the world.

India on December 1, officially assumed the presidency of G-20, a grouping of developed and developing nations.

"We have a dream to make the Indian economy a 5 trillion dollar economy. India is one of the fastest growing economy in the world and there are a lot of opportunities available in

India," the road transport and highways minister said.

Today a lot of investors across the world, he said, are keenly interested to invest in India.

The large pool of young and talented engineers are the biggest strength for In-

Govt seeks nod to spend another `3.25 L crore

New Delhi (PTI): The Government on Friday sought Parliament nod for net additional spending of over `3.25 lakh crore in the current fiscal, which includes over `1.09 lakh crore towards fertiliser subsidy payout.

Besides, approval for ` 80,348.25 crore has been sought for meeting expenditure of the food and consumer affairs ministry mainly towards giving free foodgrains to the poor.

Approval has also been sought for expenditure of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas towards payments of LPG subsidies to oil marketing companies and LPG connections to the poor under the Pradhan

Sensex surrenders early gains as IT stocks crack; logs weekly loss

New Delhi: Bharti Airtel has gained more revenue market share (RMS) than Reliance Jio in the fiscal second quarter, helped by a combination of stronger growth in the lucrative urban markets and superior monetisation of data usage, said experts, analysing latest telco financial data put out by the sector regulator. Loss-making Vodafone Idea (Vi) continued to lose revenue share in the second quarter, FY23, due to underperformance in key leadership circles — Kerala, Maharashtra and Gujarat – they added. —FIB

SNAPDEAL DEFERS

New Delhi (PTI): The ADB said it has approved a $250 million policy-based loan to support India's wide-ranging reforms that aim to strengthen and modernise the country's logistics infrastructure, improve efficiency, and lower costs. The loan will finance the first sub-program of the strengthening multimodal and integrated logistics ecosystem program, which supports the government's efforts to create a comprehensive policy, planning, and institutional framework at the federal, state, and city level.

IN

Mumbai (PTI): Equity benchmark Sensex declined nearly 390 points on Friday, pressured by heavy selling in IT, tech and energy stocks despite a positive trend in the global markets.

Besides, rising crude oil prices and relentless foreign capital outflows further weighed on sentiment, traders said.

The 30-share BSE Sensex opened strong but came under severe selling pressure to close 389.01 points or 0.62% lower at 62,181.67. Similarly, the broader NSE

THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER

Nifty declined 112.75 points or 0.61% to 18,496.60.

HCL Tech was the top loser in the Sensex pack, skidding 6.72 per cent, followed by Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Wipro, TCS and Reliance Industries.

INDIAN RUPEE GAINS 10 PAISE TO CLOSE AT 82.28 AGAINST AMERICAN CURRENCY

Mumbai (PTI): The rupee appreciated by 10 paise to close at 82.28 (provisional) against the US dollar on Friday, tracking the weakening of the American currency in the overseas market. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local unit opened at 82.30 and touched an intra-day high of 82.08 and a low of 82.33 against the greenback. It finally settled at 82.28, registering a rise of 10 paise over its previous close of 82.38.

Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, among others totalling to `29,944 crore.

As per the first batch of supplementary demands for grants tabled in Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, approval is being sought for gross additional expenditure of about Rs 4.36 lakh crore.

Of this, proposals involving net cash outgo aggregates to over ` 3.25 lakh crore.

OTHER STORIES

dia, the minister said.

Currently, the size of the Indian automobile industry is ` 7.5 lakh crore and within five years, it will be scaled up to `15 lakh crore. "We will be the number one manufacturing automobile hub in the world," the minister stressed.

Inflows via MFs SIP hit fresh high at `13,306 crore

New Delhi (PTI): Flows in the mutual fund industry through systematic investment plans or SIPs route rose to an all-time high of `13,306 crore in November, reflecting the growing maturity and confidence of investors.

However, inflows in equity mutual fund schemes plunged 76% to `2,258 crore in November from ` 9,390 crore in the preceding month, data released by the Amfi showed on Friday.

This was also the 21st straight month of inflows into equity schemes.

As per the data, flows through SIP was ` 13,306 crore in November 2022, surpassing the previous high of ` 13,041 crore in October.

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT BIDS FOR IDBI BANK PRIVATISATION TO BE EXTENDED TILL EARLY JAN

New Delhi: The deadline to submit preliminary bids for IDBI Bank privatisation is likely to be extended by almost a month till early January, a government official said on Friday. The government and LIC together are looking to sell a 60.72% stake in IDBI Bank, and the last date for submitting an Expression of Interest (EoI) or preliminary bids is December 16. Transaction advisors have received a few requests for an extension of the deadline. Since foreign investment bankers would not be working due to year-end holidays, the deadline would be extended, the official said. —PTI

NDB & INDIA TO WORK TO PREPARE COUNTRY SPECIFIC STRATEGIES

BIDDING FOR CONCOR PRIVATISATION LIKELY FROM JANUARY

`

1,250-CR INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING

Automobile retail sales soar to record high

TOP TALKING POINTS

New Delhi: SoftBankbacked e-commerce marketplace Snapdeal has deferred its `1,250 crore IPO, joining the list of startups that have decided to shelve their initial public offering (IPO) plans this year. Snapdeal, which competes with Amazon and Flipkart, filed a request this week with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to withdraw its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) amid a sell-off in tech stocks worldwide. —PTI

New Delhi: Automobile retail sales in India clocked best-ever performance in November aided by robust registrations across segments including passenger vehicles, two-wheelers and commercial vehicles, automobile dealer’ body FADA said on Friday.

The overall automobile retail sales rose by 26% to 23,80,465 units last month, as compared with 18,93,647 units in November 2021.

“November 2022 has clocked highest retails in the history of Indian auto-

mobile Industry with March’20 as an exception when retails were higher due to BS IV to BS VI transition,” FADA said.

The sales momentum continued even after the

end of the festive period with the start of the wedding season, it added.

Passenger vehicle retail sales rose by 21% year on year last month to cross three lakh unit mark in No-

z The overall automobile retail sales rose by 26% to 23,80,465 units in Nov, as compared with 18,93,647 units in Nov 2021

z The sales momentum continued even after the end of the festive period

vember aided by better availability of models, new launches and increase in demand in rural areas. The overall passenger vehicle retail sales last month rose to 3,00,922 units.

New Delhi: New Development Bank (NDB) president Marcos Prado Troyjo on Friday said that the multilateral funding agency will work jointly with India to prepare country-specific strategies for boosting infrastructure investment. The Shanghai-based funding agency’s president said that Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) has suggested countryspecific strategies for member nations. Such a country strategy would provide the overarching framework for guiding the bank’s priorities in the country, he said. —PTI

New Delhi: The government is likely to invite preliminary bids for privatising Container Corporation of India (Concor) in January, an official said. Besides, the approval from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) for demerger of non-core and land assets of Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) is expected to come in this month, following which the government may invite financial bids for SCI in March or April, the official added. The government has so far received `28,383 crore through CPSEs stake sale and buyback.

BHARATPE FILES ARBITRATION TO CLAW BACK GROVER’S 1.4 PERCENT SHARES

New Delhi: Upping the ante, fintech unicorn BharatPe has filed an arbitration for clawing back it’s former MD and co-founder Ashneer Grover’s restricted shareholding and founder title, sources said. The arbitration was filed on Thursday under Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) rules, sources said. If relief is granted, Grover may lose his unvested shares and right to use the founder title. Grover, who BharatPe has accused of cheating and embezzlement of funds, holds about 8.5% of the company. Of this, 1.4% is not vested.

SEASON

First India Bureau

Shraddha’s father demands that Poonawala be hanged

Vikas Walkar

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Vikas Walkar, the father of Shraddha Walkar who was killed allegedly by her live-in partner Aaftab Poonawala in Delhi, on Friday demanded that the accused be hanged to death for the “brutal” murder of his daughter.

Blaming the Vasai police, he said his daughter would have been alive had they acted on her complaint against Poonawala in 2020. He also demanded that an inquiry be conducted against the family members of the accused and they be given strictest possible punishment.

Poonawala allegedly strangled Shraddha and cut her body into 35 pieces which he kept in a 300-litre fridge for almost three weeks at his

“Uddhav Thackeray and the MVA govt should apologize to Shraddha’s family. Your government did nothing even after the poor girl wrote a letter saying that her life was in danger. You are answerable for her murder,” BJP MLA Ram Kadam, who represents the Ghatkopar (West) Vidhan Sabha constituency has said.

CM, DyCM don’t take Oppn into confidence: Sule

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Having finally got the chance to meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, parliamentarians from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance apprised him of the border row and the controversy arising from Governor Koshyari’s comments on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Following the meeting, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Supriya Sule, who led the delegation from the MVA-comprising the NCP, Shiv Sena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and the Congress--hit out at the leadership of the Maharashtra state government.

Critizing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis while addressing the media, she said: “I have been saying this since the first day that the CM and deputy CM of

the state should call an all-party meeting. I am once again requesting them to do so, via the media. When such incidents happened in the past, the CMs always put the state first, and took taking the opposition parties into confidence as well. But the present leadership of Maharashtra does not take any action in the interest of the state.”

She added: “When Chief Minister (Basavaraj Bommai) of Karnataka spoke against Maharashtra, CM Shinde did not even comment on it for the first 24 hours. It is unfortunate that the CM and deputy CM of Maharashtra do not take any responsibility when Maharashtra, and Chhatrapati (Shivaji) are insulted. It is the misfortune of Maharashtra that whenever these things happen, the CM and deputy CM always support it.

Aaftab Poonawala killed my daughter brutally, he should get a strict punishment. He should be hanged to death for killing my daughter…. There should be an inquiry against Poonawala’s family members, including his parents and brother…. What happened to Shraddha should not happen to anybody else.

—Vikas Walker, father of Shraddha Walker

“Aaftab Poonawala killed my daughter

he should get a

strict punishment. He should be hanged to death for killing my daughter...There should be a stern action against whosoever is involved in the case,” Walkar told reporters here after meeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya.

He was addressing a press conference for the first time after his daughter's sensational murder came to light in November.

Walkar said Delhi and Vasai police were conducting a joint probe into the case, which was now going on properly.

“But I was annoyed by the non-cooperation of Tulinj and Manikpur police in Vasai (town in Palghar district)...Had they acted swiftly, my daughter would have been alive now,” he added.

Walkar said Delhi Governor, DCP Delhi South and Maharashtra deputy CM Fadnavis have assured justice to his family, adding that he has full faith in the law and judiciary.

Udayanaraje wants PM’s attention on Guv’s remarks

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and Shivaji Maharaj’s descendent Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhonsle on Friday addressed a press conference after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi.

“On November 23, we sent a letter to the President, and Prime Minister and today also official correspondence has been done. A letter, regarding derogatory remarks against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has been addressed from President's Secretariat to Home Minister's Office. Now it's a matter of procedure,” Udayanaraje stated.

“There is unrest in Maharashtra over the derogatory remark

against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as he is cherished and loved by everyone,” he said in the presser.

Speaking to the media, Udayanaraje said, “PM himself called the meeting. He had called Rajya Sabha MPs from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

He wanted to share some points with us regarding the party, how to get the party enhanced, and how to boost it up further.”

Addressing the Karnataka-Maharashtra border issue, he stated, “When the Mahajan committee was established, it was decided that based on the language, the division should take place, but it has not been done.”

He further added, “The centre should take a meeting with top leadership from Karnataka and Maharashtra on the issue.”

Notably, Bhonsle has written a letter to PM Narendra Modi addressing the alleged derogatory remark against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

No nCoV fatalities in Maha for 10th straight day

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Maharashtra recorded 18 COVID-19 cases on Friday, which took the tally to 81,36,125. However, the state reported no fresh fatalities linked to the respiratory illness for the 10th consecutive day, keeping the toll unchanged at 1,48,407, a health official said.

On Thursday, the addition to the tally was 41, while the last death due to the infection was recorded on November 29, he pointed out.

The recovery count increased by 39 and touched 79,87,486, which left the state with an active tally of 232.

As per the state health department’s bulletin, the recovery rate is 98.17% and the fatality rate stands at 1.82%.

So far, 8,57,31,240 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Maharashtra, including 7,755 in the last 24 hours, as per official data.

No plan to have ‘love jihad’ law in Maha yet: Fadnavis

said that while his government will study laws on freedom of religion-dubbed as legislations on “love jihad”--enacted by other states, it had not yet decided on introducing a similar law here in Maharashtra.

Fadnavis, who was talking to reporters at the airport, was responding to a query on whether the state government planned to enact a “love jihad” law during the upcoming Winter Session of the state legislature.

“Love jihad” is a term often used by right-wing activists to allege a ploy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into religious conversion through marriage.

“We are examining this aspect, but have not taken any decision as of now. But, we are going to

BJP-ruled UP, MP, Haryana and Guj, have amended existing laws or brought in new ones to curb religious conversion ‘by allurement, use of force, fraudulent means or coercion’

study the laws introduced by various states on this aspect,” said Fadnavis, who is also the state’s Home minister.

A clutch of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat, have either amended existing laws or brought new ones to curb religious conversion “by allurement, use of force, fraudulent means or coercion”.

Even Balasaheb couldn’t win 100 seats: Shinde-group MLA

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Even as Mumbai and other civic bodies wait for polls to be announced, Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad on Friday pointed out that not even Shiv Sena founder, the late Bal Thackeray, could win 100 of the 288 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly. No party can reach 100 seats, he added, while addressing the press at his office in Buldani, in response to a query.

Asked if the Gujarat elections would have an impact on Maharashtra, he said, “Assembly elections in Maharashtra are some time away. And no state has any influence on voting in other states. Gone are the days of waves; peo-

ple now vote on local leadership and the work of the leader.”

He added: “An election is never contested on a single issue. Earlier it used to be that voting was done as per the favouring wave. However, now nobody’s waves are there. Now, 10 years of Modi’s work will be seen

and people will vote based on that. The country has never seen a leader like Modi before.”

Commenting on the question if Modi will affect Maharashtra elections, Gaikwad said, “Some leaders get votes on their work, thinking and party. If there is no Narendra Modi and our Eknath Shinde tomorrow, BJP voters are not going to leave BJP. The 10-20% voters who believe in Congress do not leave that party.”

Gaikwad further added, “Every time, I get elected with 35,000, sometimes 40,000 votes. Every human being has that ability. Some people vote on party lines, some on work and development, some on relationship, some on caste, some on kinship.”

Sonia Gandhi’s birthday safari with family

and there they sighted tigress Sultana.

Sawai Madhpur: Former National President of Congress Sonia Gandhi visited Ranthambore national park along with her family on her 76th birthday on Friday. The Gandhi family left for Ranthambore national park from Sherbagh hotel here. During the evening safari in the park, the VVIPs were informed about a possible tiger sighting at Mishradarrah. The family reached the spot

According to sources, on Thursday late at night at the hotel, Sonia Gandhi celebrated her birthday with family members. Sonia along with Rahul, Priyanka and other family members stayed in the hotel during the day.

The Gandhi family also enjoyed a safari in the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in the Thursday evening shift. After this, they reached back to the hotel on Ranthambore Road in the late evening.

The Gandhi family rested for some time in the hotel. After this, Sonia Gandhi’s birthday

was celebrated once again at night. During this, the cake was cut and Rahul Gandhi, Pri-

birthday.

In another tour, Sonia and Priyanka purchased handicrafts of Ranthambore after visiting the artisan centre on Friday. Sonia and Priyanka left from hotel Sherbagh at 1.15 PM and reached the Dastkar Kendra.

They observed the center closely for about twenty minutes and the mother-daughter duo bought Ranthambore Park’s jacket for Rahul Gandhi along with other items of handicraft, after which they returned to the hotel.

Mehrauli home in New Delhi in May, before dumping them across

the city over several days. He was arrested in November.

brutally,

blames Vasai police for not acting in time in his first public address since his daughter’s killing

Vikas Walkar, along with BJP leader Kirit Somaiya and his lawyer Seema Kushwah, addressed the press after meeting Dy CM Fadnavis in Mumbai on Friday. —PHOTO BY BHUSHAN KOYANDE

BJP MLA BLAMES UDDHAV

Nagpur (PTI): Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday

First India Bureau

Shivaji’s descendant has long objected to Koshyari’s comments on the Marratha king

Sanjay Gaikwad’s remark comes at a time when polls are due in several civic bodies

Ziauddin Khan & Sandeep Goyal

yanka Gandhi and sonin-law Robert Vadra and their children wished her a happy

Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi during their safari at Ranthambore National Park on Thursday.

Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.

Everyone has a dream and everyone should try to pursue it. But don’t limit yourself to just what you think you can do. What you believe, you can achieve. What you believe, recall, you can accomplish”. And that is what Avani follows. Avani Kakekochhi Bhat from Karnataka is an Aerospace engineer and one of the finalists of the First Indian Queen. In a tete-atete with City First, Avani shares about her life, struggles and the journey she took to get where she is today.

When asked about her passion an dinterests besides modelling, the beauty exclaimed “I love dancing and am a professional dancer by heart. I own a dance academy called Trayee and am a co-owner of Supram Industries along with my dad.” The diva expressed her ambitions of becoming a leader and entrepreneur in society.

She further stated, “Growing up in a humble family, I was bullied for the wardrobe, the pouch I owned and the way I appeared. But I’ve learnt to appreciate my humble beginning and become the school captain, won international awards and make my school proud even today. Also, I am one of the youngest board members at the KSEEB (Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board) and was ranked 1 in Karnataka on my Alankar Bharatanatyam exam. I am also a scholarship holder for dance. My teaching experience at an orphan’s home for 5 years now.”

When asked about her aim, Avani said, “My aim is to highlight about mental health, nutrition and bring about spiritual awareness to help others who may be struggling with similar issues in life, because I truly wish to transform lives.”

Avani Kakekochhi, from Karnataka, one of the First India queen finalists talks about her journey so far!

ADITI KUSHWAHA cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

FACE OF THE DAY!

Aries

MARCH 21 - APRIL 20

You are likely to have fun at work today. A changed lifestyle promises good health. You may not be in the best of financial situations, but things are likely to improve. Much excitement is foreseen on the family front. There is some scope of improving your scores on the academic front.

Gemini

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

You may get motivated to shake a leg just to get on the fitness trail. It will be important to keep a tab of your expenses today. Some shuffling on the work front is likely but will not affect you. Peace and tranquillity prevail on the home front and will help you unwind. Romance seems on the upswing.

Leo

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

Job prospects for those freshly out of professional institutes are set to brighten up soon. A positive outlook will help you throw out the negativity within. You will manage to ignore distractions and interruptions at work to complete a pending task in time. is so miffed.

Libra

SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 22

This is the day to play your winning card on the professional front. A lot of time may be wasted in socialising, but you will love every moment of it! Time is ripe for investing in a scheme you have been considering for long. Your upbeat mood and a happy demeanour will brighten atmosphere.

Sagittarius

NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22

Sticking to workout routine may benefit you on the health front.

Meeting relatives at a marriage or party cannot be ruled out. Accompanying someone you click with is likely to make your business journey entertaining. Support from the family may seem most encouraging.

Aquarius

JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19

Balancing act between home and office will remain most smooth for working women. You succeed in putting an ambitious project on the tracks and cross all hurdles in making it a success. Love beckons and promises to give immense joy and fulfillment. Homemakers can exceed budget.

Taurus

APRIL 21 - MAY 20

A major purchase may make a dent in your savings, but will help in keeping up with the jonesses. Speculation may not be profitable and you can very well burn your fingers. Some of you may get hard pressed to find a good match for someone eligible in the family down, Saturn will save you.

Cancer

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

Homemakers will get a chance to implement their ideas. You are likely to be recognised for your efforts on the professional front. Some of you can be invited for guidance or consultancy. Chance of a raise is possible for some. Timely and correct decision will help you in saving a lot of money.

Virgo

AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23

Satisfaction is foreseen for the image conscious people trying to achieve perfect figure and physique. You will succeed in surmounting the odds to get a stalled job back on the tracks. Your efforts on the academic front will keep you in contention. You are likely to spend an enjoyable time.

Scorpio

OCTOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 22

You will succeed and move ahead in your professional life, as the year begins. Be careful, though, as your daily routine may be affected adversely. Your boss may be the reason for your annoyance. Pressure tactics can infuriate you. Probably, by 5th or 6th, you may think of taking up a new job.

Capricorn

DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20

Focussing on your career graph at this juncture will be a step that will take you far. A rethink is in order for those going in for a heavy investment. Recovering a loaned amount from someone will not pose much difficulty. You will manage to defuse tensions prevailing at home.

Pisces

FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20

Financial condition of those down in the dumps is set to improve. Your efficiency at work is likely to impress those who matter at work. Your biggest asset is your sense of humor try to use it to cure your not so good health. Spending time with family.

LOSING WEIGHT NANO-TECHNOLOGY can Now Assist you in

DR. KRISHANGA cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

New Studies use Cationic Nanomaterials to Target Fat. Nanotechnology has recently sparked considerable interest in a variety of fields, including medicine. South Africa (SA) was the first African country to adopt the technology, with the goal of improving the national bioeconomy and global competitiveness through the use of innovative nanotechnology-based solutions. And as per this new invention, nanotechnology can now target lipid molecules.

Obesity prevalence has steadily increased over the last five decades, and

obesity may have a massive effect on quality-adjusted years of life. Obesity is also strongly linked to an increased risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. Despite the serious consequences of obesity, losing weight can significantly reduce the risk of the majority of these comorbid conditions. Comorbidities most closely linked to obesity must be identified in order to raise awareness of potential negative outcomes. This will enable health-care workers to identify and implement appropriate interventions to reduce patient risk and mortality.

Fat cell development, which begins with a tiny fibroblast-like precursor, not only activates the fat cells' particular genes but also causes them to enlarge by accumulating more lipids (in adipocytes and adipose tissue). In reality, lipid storage is a fat cell's defining role. However, excessive lipid storage can make fat cells unhealthy and lead to obesity.

CATIONIC NANOMATERIALS TO TARGET FAT

stroying it, like liposuction does.

CHALLENGES IN TARGETING FAT CELLS

The lives of a lot of individuals will be simplified if scientists can target fat cells and securely decouple harmful fat accumulation from healthy fat metabolism.

A significant obstacle in the treatment of obesity is that fat tissue, which is not continuous throughout the body but is found piece by piece in "depots," has been difficult to target in a depotspecific, precise manner.

There has never been a mechanism to selectively treat visceral adipose tissue and contemporary subcutaneous fat treatments, such as liposuction, that are invasive and destructive.

EFFECT OF P-G3 ON FAT CELLS

Then something strange happened: P-G3 turned off the lipid storage mechanism in fat cells, causing the mice to lose weight. This was com-

pletely unexpected, considering the well-established role of P-G3 in neutralizing negatively charged pathogens, such as DNA and RNA cell debris, in order to reduce inflammation.

"Our approach is unique--It departs from the pharmacological or surgical approaches," says Qiang, who specializes in obesity and adipocyte biology. "We used cationic charge to rejuvenate healthy fat cells, a technique no one has ever used to treat obesity. I think this novel strategy will open the door to a healthier and safer reduction of fat".

The researchers noticed in these two tests that the cationic substance, P-G3, could do an interesting thing to fat cells: while it assisted new fat cell development, it also uncoupled lipid storage from fat cell housekeeping tasks. Because it prevents larger fat cells from storing harmful lipids, the mice had more metabolically healthy, youthful, tiny fat cells like those found

"With P-G3, fat cells can still be fat cells, but they can't grow up," said Leong, a pioneer in using polycation to scavenge pathogens. "Our studies highlight an unexpected strategy to treat visceral adiposity and suggest a new direction of exploring cationic nanomaterials for treating metabolic diseases".

P-G3 FOR DRUG DELIVERY, GENE THERAPY, AND AESTHETICS

Leong and Qiang see various possibilities for their ability to selectively target visceral fat. The biomaterials study reveals a straightforward approach that might be employed for aesthetic objectives; similar to Botox, P-G3 can be injected locally into a specific subcutaneous fat depot. The researchers, who have filed patents, are currently modifying P-G3 to improve its efficacy, safety, and depot specificity.

"We're very excited to discover that cationic charge is the secret to targeting adipose tissue," Qiang said. "We can now shrink fat depot-specifically—anywhere we want—and safely without destroying fat cells. This is a major advance in treating obesity".

With this new technology in sight, obesity and other linked co-morbidities can be managed with ease.

SOURCE: Nano-Technology can Now Assist you in Losing Weight (medindia.net)

SARA ASNANI, Model

Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

A party-goer

Putting up her best like always, Shehnaaz Gill is embracing shine lately, and the aesthetic of her latest look was too disco ball-like.

Shehnaaz graced Salman Khan’s hosted reality show Bigg Boss 16 with rapper MC Square to promote their recently released music video ‘Ghani Syaani’, which is already a hit among their fans. Shehnaaz Gill’s recent look has got the town talking for all the right reasons and we are sure you won’t stop gaz ing at her sheer beauty. The diva opted for a strapless electric blue body-hug ging sequined midi outfit that came with feathery details at the edge. She let her outfit shine bright and kept her accessories minimal by opting for dia mond-studded hoops and rings. Her pinkshaded eye makeup and that perfect wing liner elevat ed the look of her ensemble. Add ing a barbiecore touch to her se quined dress, Shehnaaz donned hot pink heels that scream fashion.

SADIE SINK

Sadie Sink, during a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, spoke candidly about how she “got the role” in the popular series.

During her candid chat with Jimmy Kimmel, Sadie revealed, “I joined the show in season two and I was a fan of season one before.” She added, “I was in the audition process for Max and I think I had done four callbacks, did the screen test for the role.”

TEASES NEW MUSIC

revealed

LIED ABOUT THIS MANUSHI FLIES TO

She candidly shared, “They sent a skateboard to my house the next day, I had to learn how to do

During

ulation that she’s ready to release a new song soon following the release of her documentary, My Mind & Me, a title song for which was also released as a single. Admitting that she will be dropping new tunes soon, Selena responded, “That’s accurate.”

Selena opened up about working on new music and also how she will be giving her fans something different this time. She said, “I’m so used to writing sadgirl songs. But I’m ready to have some fun and I think people are going to like it.”

QATAR

Manushi Chhillar has flown to Qatar to fulfil her dream of watching the Argentinian icon Lionel Messi play at the FIFA World Cup. Ace footballer Lionel Messi enjoys a massive fan following and Manushi is one of them. The actress revealed, “It’s always been my dream to witness Lionel Messi play in front of my eyes. Being an ardent fan of his, I have been planning all these years to get a glimpse of his genius on the football pitch.” She further added, “I am really looking forward to witnessing the atmosphere and the euphoria of the stadium and cheering for Messi through the match! Most importantly this year, the World Cup is closer and I’m excited to witness the finals as well in person, instead of watching it on television like every other World Cup.”

POTTERY BARN COLLABORATES WITH DEEPIKA PADUKONE

Pottery Barn, a portfolio brand of Williams-Sonoma, the world’s largest digital-first, design-led and sustainable home retailer, announced today a global partnership with the iconic international celebrity, Deepika Padukone. The actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist have been signed as a brand ambassador to promote Pottery Barn’s international expansion which began with the launch of pottery barn in July and the opening of the company’s first retail location in September in Delhi, India. As a brand ambassador for Pottery Barn, Padukone will also work closely with the brand to co-create a collection. —Agency

hea Chakraborty, who keeps treating fans with stunning posts on social media, is reportedly in love. She has stayed away from the public eye for the longest time due to controversy since 2020.

According to the latest report, Rhea has found love in fashion designer Seema Sajdeh’s brother Bunty Sajdeh. Bunty’s firm used to handle Rhea a few years ago. The duo has known each other for quite some time and the report says that they have started dating recently. A source revealed, “It’s so good to see them together and happy. Whatever Rhea has been through in the last few years, Bunty has been her shoulder and support system. He was there for her when things were getting dirty. They are currently together and wish to keep this news private.” —Agency

Selena Gomez fans have a reason to celebrate as the singer in her recent interview opened up about releasing new music. Nearly, two years after the release of her third studio album Rare, the singer

on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that she’s currently in the studio working on some new music, and teased how it will be different.

her recent appearance on the Jimmy Fallon show on December 5, Gomez was quizzed about the spec-

—Agency

—Agency

Selena Gomez

Shehnaaz Gill

Deepika Padukone

Rhea Chakraborty

Manushi Chhillar

Sadie Sink

Shehnaaz flaunts her attire

—Agency

“Have finally found my groove in cinema!”

Arjun Kapoor delivered a powerful performance as a Haryanvi cop in Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar which was praised by audiences and critics and also earned him several accolades.

The actor reveals that through his forthcoming films he will tackle diverse genres and challenge himself to deliver better performances.

“As an actor, my journey in cinema has been of immense learning and growth. I feel I have finally found my groove in cinema and discovered what I truly want to do on screen” says Arjun.

He adds, “Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar

was one such film that has given me tremendous love and appreciation. I received acting accolades for this film and I can’t be thankful enough for this project.”

He further says, “Kuttey is again that film which I feel will bring me a lot of joy and love and I’m confident that The Ladykiller will also deliver as a superb film and hopefully make my performance stand out. I have always wanted to be a part of credible films that allow me to also excel on screen as a performer.”

Arjun adds, “I wanted to collaborate with storytellers who believe in me and push me to do better. Dibakar Banerjee, Aasman Bhardwaj and Ajay Bahl are filmmakers for whom I have bared my soul. So, yes I do hope that Kuttey and The Ladykiller become big hits. I have punted a lot on them and I hope that people like what I have done on screen!”

SHOAIB IBRAHIM ON HIS NEW ROMANTIC BALLAD

spoke to Ashish Tiwari of First India about the experience and more.

ASHISH TIWARI cityfirst.mumbai@firstindia.co.in

Shoaib Ibrahim has joined hands with Surbhi Jyoti for a music video ‘Kaise Bataye’ and the cosy romantic bits in the video are unmissable. With glimpses of heartbreaks, steamy salsa and amazing chemistry, the two truly enthused the meaning of the song in the music video. And now as it gets released on YouTube, we can’t stop loving the duo on the screen. Shoaib

Shoaib Ibrahim is one of the most loved television stars who rose to fame with his performance as Prem in Sasural Simar Ka but had to quit the show owing to personal issues. He has been part of several TV shows including Rishton Ke Bhanwar Mein Uljhi Niyati, Koi Laut Ke Aaya Hai, and Jeet Gayi Toh Piya Morey. The actor was also seen in Ishq Mein Marjawan, wherein he played the role of Abhimanyu alongside Nia Sharma, Aaliya Panwar, and Arjun Bijlani.

Speaking on the love that he has received he shared, “I think I am fortunate

enough that whatever work I do reaches the audience and they connect to them."

Sharing his experiences he stated, “When I heard the song I liked the concept also the fact that I have already worked with Surbhi was a plus point and the audience was very keen to watch me and Surbhi together. We completed

the shoot in all fun and laughter."

On the camaraderie that he shares with his wife, he shared, “Deepika loved the song when she heard it and she had never seen me in this avatar so this was quite a surprise for her. We never had to face any argument or misunderstanding which is work-related. We always motivate each other.”

Speaking on why he only choose selected projects he said, “We do the work that connects us with our heart. Yes! We don’t do unnecessary projects to be seen. From the start, I work on the motivation that you should make yourself happy rather than others. You can lie to others but not yourself.”

Netizens attack AAMIR

Since Aamir Khan recently announced a break from acting, he is now spending time with his family. He just paused his ideal project, 'Laal Singh Chaddha,' which was a colossal flop. Aamir recently did a puja at his place of work and Kiran Rao, his ex-wife also at

across his shoulder. After seeing the post some people started making fun of Aamir khan. Netizen comment “film flop hone ke baad aa gya line pe.” Another said, “Aa gye line pe.” One comment read, “Natak hai sb.” One of the comments read, “Sab aukat mai aa raha hai.”

When she saw Hollywood star Ellie Kemper wearing one of her jewellery pieces, on the Great American Baking Show press day, the feeling was pure happiness, says ace fashion and jewellery designer Anjali Phougat.

“It feels great to see Indian designs getting loved by Hollywood celebrities and I felt hap py she looked beautiful. Ellie who is an actress and comedian wore the designer dream collection which was the Diamante Stud earrings made with a platinum finish.”

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she says.

“I love creating elegant pieces of jewellery and while designing I keep in mind my jewels are not just beautiful, they are com fortable and light weight as well. Like I always say, elegance nev er goes out of fashion and celebrities wearing my designs for prestigious events because they are timeless” she fur ther added.

DEEPVEER'S CHEEKY ROMANCE

Kaif and Vicky Kaushal are one of the most beloved star couples in B-Town. Celebrating their first wedding anniversary, the couple were seen enjoying a breezy time at the hill station. Katrina posted a series of pictures on her Instagram with the caption, "Pahadon mein" and credited her "husband" for the pictures.

surprise romance came out of nowhere when Kat first mentioned that she would choose Vicky Kaushal as her co-star on S6 of Koffee With Karan. This gained a hilarious reaction from Vicky Kaushal who pretended to faint on the couch when he heard about it. The couple first met at a house party organised by ace Zoya Akhtar.

Deepika Padukone

BDeepveer during the song launch

Anjali Phougat

Ellie Kemper

Katrina Kaif

Her post...

Arjun Kapoor

Aamir Khan

Aamir during the Kalash Pooja

Poster of the song

Shoaib Ibrahim