First India-Mumbai Edition-19th December 2022

MESSI’S MAGIC

‘

GAVE RED CARDS TO CORRUPTION, NEPOTISM’

Modi’s views on nuclear weapons impacted Russia: CIA Chief Burns

Washington (ANI):

PM Narendra Modi’s views on the use of nuclear weapons had an impact on the Russians and could well have averted a global disaster in the context of the Ukraine war, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Bill Burns said.

“I think it’s also been very useful that Xi Jin-

Shillong: Making an analogy to football, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said in his address at the golden jubilee celebrations of the North Eastern Council in Shillong that his government has given red cards to hurdles like corruption, nepotism, and discrimination in the last eight years.

In his address at a football ground, PM Modi said, “It is a coincidence that today when the final of the Football World Cup is taking place, I am in the midst of football lovers on the football ground itself.

On the other side, a football competition is going on and subsequently this side, we are competing for development on the football field.”

Recalling the efforts of his government in the

last eight years PM Modi said, “In football, if someone’s behaviour is against the spirit of the

game, then he is shown a red card and thrown out. Similarly, in the last eight years, we have

eradicated many hurdles-- corruption, nepotism, discrimination-- related to the North East.”

ping and PM Modi in India have also raised their concerns about

the use of nuclear weapons as well. I think that’s also having an impact on the Russians,” Bill Burns said in an interview with PBS. “I think the saber-rattling is meant to intimidate.

We don’t see any clear evidence today of plans to use tactical nuclear weapons,” he added.

CIA Chief Bill Burns remarks come as Rus-

India will do shipbuilding for world in future: Rajnath Singh

Mumbai: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday exuded confidence that in future India will emerge as a global player in shipbuilding. Singh was speaking at the commissioning ceremony of INS ‘Mormugao’, a P15B stealth-guided missile destroyer, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. “INS Mormugao is one of the most powerful warships made in India, it will make a remarkable growth in Indian Maritime capabilities. INS Mormugao is one of the world’s most technologically advanced missile carriers,” Singh said.

“It is also an example of our indigenous defence production capability,” he added, underlining that in future, we will do shipbuilding for the world.

Villagers leaving Maha is govt’s failure: Pawar

Kartikey Dev Singh

Mumbai: The winter session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is starting from Monday, December 19 in Nagpur. However, prior to this, on Sunday, the ruling party invited the opposition for a tea ceremony, but instead of

following the tradition, the opposition boycotted it. In this regard, Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar held a press conference and raised many issues in the press conference.

“In a state like Maharashtra, great men are being insulted. Maharashtra will not tolerate this. Governor Koshyari’s statement regarding Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is objectionable. After him, BJP leaders are also giving simi-

lar statements. We oppose it,” Pawar said.

He said that Karnataka border issue has been pending for many years.

“But when present government came, instead

of getting rid of it; it flared up further. The Chief Minister of Karnataka started claiming the villages of Maharashtra. Earlier no one dared to do this, but now

all this is happening. Some villages have started taking the attitude that if we do not develop, we will go to other states, this is the failure of the Shinde-Fadnavis government,” he said.

On Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis claim that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will present a proposal on border issues, Ajit Pawar said, “If there is a resolution on border issue, we will support that resolution.”

DEFENCE MINISTER CITES ‘PURANAS’

Mumbai: The Defence Minister cited ‘puranas’ to underscore the important role the Indian Navy plays in the country’s maritime security. “Even if our puranas are mere (figment of) imagination, there is truth behind them,” he said, adding “They are important for us.”

‘NOT RAJNATH BUT PM SHOULD ANSWER’

Dausa: The Congress on Sunday accused PM Modi of “running away” from a debate in Parliament on the situation along the border with China and said he and not the defence minister must answer on this issue. It asked whether the government was “silent” due to “close ties” with that country.

sian President Vladimir Putin on December 3 admitted that the conflict is “going to take a while.” Notably, India has been calling for dialogue and diplomacy since the war began between Russia and Ukraine. On December 16, PM Modi reiterated his call for dialogue and diplomacy as the “only way forward”.

Come

Mumbai: After a clean chit in the INS Vikrant fund embezzlement scam, BJP’s Kirit Somaiya threw the gauntlet to Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut.

“Hearing about clean chit will result in an earthquake in Sanjay Raut’s house. Uddhav Thackeray had a meeting at Matoshree when he was CM, where many officials besides Collector of Thane Rajesh Narvekar were present. If Sanjay Raut has the guts, he should tell us who Rajesh Narvekar is. Also, Thackeray should hold a meeting under his chairmanship and say whether he was being watched or not. Also, how did Sanjay Raut get the documents of the alleged scam,” questioned Somaiya.

Shinde, Fadnavis brace to make Maha corruption free

Mumbai: Maharashtra

Dy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnvis on Sunday said the Ma harashtra cabinet has decided to bring Lokayukta Bill on lines of Lokpal.

“Today in cabinet meeting, we have

taken important decisions. We have approved Anna Hazare Committee report on introducing Lokayukta in Maharashtra on lines of Lokpal. A Bill will be brought in this session,” Fadnavis told reporters.

“The Chief Minister and the cabinet will be brought under the ambit of the Lokayukta. Anti-Corruption Act will be made a part of this law, and the Lokay-

ukta will have a team of five people including retired judges,” added the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said he wants to run the government with full transparency.

“We will run the government with complete transparency. We will make Maharashtra corruption free, that is why we have decided to bring Lokayukta law into the state,” said CM Shinde.

Opposition parties boycott ruling coalition’s ‘chai-pecharcha’!

First India Bureau

The top legislative brass set stage to bring even CM and Dy CM under the ambit of Lokayukta

WINTER SESSION OF MAHA-ASSEMBLY STARTS TODAY

Ajit Pawar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates various developmental projects, in Shillong, Meghalaya on Sunday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also seen. —PHOTO BY PTI

AGARTALA

Shillong: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated, dedicated, and laid foundation stones for various projects worth Rs2450 crores in Shillong as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the North Eastern Council (NEC). Modi inaugurated the New Campus of IIM Shillong at Umsawli and Shillong-Diengpasoh Road while also inaugurating four other road projects across three states- Meghalaya, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Agartala: Prime Minister Modi on Sunday inaugurated and laid foundation stone of various development projects worth over Rs 4,350 crore in Agartala. PM also launched the Grih Pravesh programme for beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Rural, inaugurated the project for widening of Agartala bypass, and laid the foundation stones for 32 roads.

Bill Burns

Argentina’s players celebrate as they beat France 4-2 on penalties to win the Finals of the FIFA World Cup 2022. at Lusail Stadium, in Lusail on Sunday.

Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties to lift FIFA World Cup

Rajnath Singh with Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai, CM Pramod Sawant, CDS Gen Anil Chauhan, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar and others navy officials during the commissioning ceremony of INS Mormugao at the naval dockyard in Mumbai on Sunday. —PHOTO BY BHUSHAN KOYANDE

COMMISSIONING OF INS MORMUGAO

‘Fadnavis should be CM while I am BJP chief’

Bawankule feels deputy

Mumbai: Putting forth his wishes, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

President, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, on Sunday said that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should be the state chief minister as long as he is the party’s state unit chief, for the “overall development” of the state.

The statement comes months after Bawankule’s predecessor Chandrakant Patil, who is now a cabinet minister, had said that the party decided with a heavy heart that rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde should become the state’s CM instead of Fadnavis.

Bawankule’s remark gave ammunition to the opposition parties, with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)

at the helm of govt will be good for ‘overall devt’ of state U-TURN

...As long as I am the state unit president (of the BJP), Fadnavis should become... We all need to work in such a manner that he (Fadnavis) will get that post (of CM). It is not about getting him that post, but it is for the overall development of Maharashtra. If one person can define the future of Maharashtra, it is Devendraji.

—Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Maharashtra BJP chief

saying that it showed the BJP had no value for current CM Shinde. Speaking at a public

After the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in June, it was expected that Fadnavis would become the CM. But Fadnavis announced that Shinde would lead the new government. Fadnavis had also said that he would not be in the government, but within a couple of hours, BJP President JP Nadda announced that Fadnavis will take oath as deputy CM.

BJP), Fadnavis should become...” The BJP leader left the sentence incomplete and took a pause as he waited for response from the audience gathered there.

“We all need to work in such a manner that he (Fadnavis) will get that post (of CM). It is not about getting him that post, but it is for the overall development of Maharashtra.”

“If one person can define the future of Maharashtra, it is Devendraji,” he added.

Bawankule was speaking at a programme organized on the occasion of the death anniversary of Sant Jaganade Maharaj in East Nagpur, where Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was also present.

BJP leaders have no value for CM Shinde: NCP MLC

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Responding to Bawankule’s statement on Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis becoming state chief minister, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLC Amol Mitkari said “it means BJP leaders have zero value for current CM Eknath Shinde.”

harashtra, he added. The state BJP chief’s statement comes on the eve of the winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur.

event in Nagpur, Bawankule said, “...As long as I am the state unit president (of the

After a couple of persons from the audience shouted “chief minister”, Bawankule continued his speech and said,

Fadnavis is a leader who rises above caste. He works for all the communities equally. And that is why it is our responsibility that the period from 2014 to 2019 (when Fadnavis was CM) should come again in Maharashtra, asserted Bawankule.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai on Sunday, Mitkari said, “It means BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leaders have zero value for current CM Eknath Shinde and his faction. Soon, they (Shinde and his supporters) will realize that they have been

cheated by the BJP. Chandrakant Patil had already made a similar statement a few months back that it was painful for BJP leaders to see Fadnavis becoming deputy CM.

Bawankule’s statement should be seriously considered by the Shinde camp & Ma-

Mitkari further stated, “I had said that the day the state cabinet expansion happens, this government will collapse. Sanjay Raut (of Shiv SenaUddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) had said that the new government would not last till February next year. They are going in that direction only.”

It is clear from the (Bawankule and Raut’s) statements that Eknath Shinde is still not recognized (as CM) in Maharashtra, he added.

BJP’s Subramanian Swamy calls on Guv Bhagat S Koshyari

Mumbai: A day after the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ‘Halla Bol’ protest march held in Mumbai, Shiv Sena –Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Sanjay Raut hit back at Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after his harsh criticism of the opposition’s event.

Speaking at a press meet in Satara on Sunday, Raut said, “Chief Minister Eknath Shinde criticized Maha Vikas Aghadi by saying that the three parties had held meetings and made big preparations for the march. However, everyone has seen how successful they were in the end.”

Referring to the BJPShinde camp gathering in Konkan, Shinde had also said, “Our meeting in Konkan was more crowded than this. These are desperate people, who have lost power. They are in a frenzy of giving speeches and criti-

cizing the government. The way we have worked in the last four months has made them uncomfortable, and they have become depressed.”

Hitting back at the CM’s criticism, Raut said, “After insults of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Babasaheb

So, if they are comparing our march to their meeting in Konkan, I am happy that they left Shiv Sena. Unfortunately for them, we had people in our party who took such a stance when it came to the self-respect of Maharashtra, he added.

First India Bureau

Mumbai: A controversy has erupted after a video of people being handed money for participating in Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) protest march held in Mumbai on Saturday, went viral on social media platforms. On Sunday, Leader of Opposition in state Assembly and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar went into damage control mode and denied the incident.

When asked about the video’s authenticity, Pawar told reporters, “As per my knowledge, this (incident) has not happened at all. I was in the march from start to finish. Even after it was over, I was talking to the people (who had participated)

for some time. Nothing like this happened. I didn’t see people bringing any money. There is no need to malign our efforts (on the march) without any reason.”

Interestingly, it was

WINTER SESSION

Bharatiya Janata Par-

On Deputy CM Fadnavis mocking Uddhav Thackeray’s faction by terming it “chhota” Shiv Sena and “nano” rally, Pawar responded, “It is the right of the deputy CM to have the name ‘Nano’ or to have a scooter. We don’t give much importance to it.”

In our eyes, on the occasion of this march, the Maha Vikas Aghadi has come forward. We have taken out such a march after six months, he added.

Mumbai (PTI): Former Rajya Sabha member and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Sunday met state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.

In a statement, the Raj Bhavan said it was just a courtesy meeting.

The meeting comes a day after the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents Shiv Sena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Congress, and other parties took out a massive “Halla Bol” morcha in Mumbai against the state government on Saturday.

They demanded Koshyari’s removal for “insulting” Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and social reformers Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule.

The meeting assumes significance as Swamy had earlier reportedly opposed the Maharash-

Meeting comes a day after MVA’s ‘Halla Bol’ march; may be about Pandharpur corridor

tra government’s plans to develop a corridor at the temple town of Pandharpur in Solapur district. The government has proposed to build the corridor around the Vitthal and Rukmini temple on the lines of Kashi Vishwanath project in Varanasi.

However, there is a requirement to demolish some religious as well as residential structures in the town for the project, which is being opposed by some sections.

Koshyari’s remarks, border row with K’taka to dominate talks

Oppn

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Remarks by Governor BS Koshyari on Shivaji Maharaj and the simmering border row with Karnataka are expected to dominate the winter session of state legislature beginning in Nagpur on Monday.

According to political observers, the opposition is also expected to target the Eknath Shinde-led government on shifting of mega projects like Foxconn to Gujarat.

Koshyari recently said that Shivaji Maharaj was a “hero of the past”, while BJP Spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi claimed the Maratha warrior king sought mercy from the Mughal empire. Their remarks caused statewide protests.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

said that a proposal pertaining to the Karnataka-Maharashtra border row will be passed in the winter session.

The state government is expected to table 11 bills during the session, expected to last till December 30.

The government will table the Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Pan-

chayat Samiti (third amendment) Bill 2022, which proposes to increase the number of members in the zilla parishads and panchayat samitis.

It will also table the Maharashtra State Agriculture Produce (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2022 to enable the farmers to contest the elections of the Agriculture Produce Market Committees.

The government will introduce the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (second amendment) Bill 2022 to revise the capital value of the land and buildings. It will also move a bill proposing a temporary hike in the state contingency fund.

WILL BRING UP INVESTMENT LOSS, AGRARIAN DISTRESS: PAWAR

First India Bureau

Nagpur: Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Ajit Pawar on Sunday said that the Opposition will corner the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government over agrarian distress and the state losing investment projects in the winter session.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, “The Opposition will target the government over big-ticket investment projects preferring other states over Maharashtra and the agrarian dis-

tress,” he said. Pawar’s counterpart in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve (Shiv Sena UBT), Dilip Walse-Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal senior leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party and state Congress President Nana Patole were also present.

“It’s been nearly six months that the (Shinde) government has come

to power, but it has not been able to fulfill the expectations of the people,” Pawar added.

On the agrarian distress, Pawar said farmers have suffered losses due to unseasonal rains, but they are yet to receive crop insurance and compensation.

The NCP leader said the Opposition would also question the government over big-ticket projects preferring other states over Maharashtra, a development which deprived lakhs of the youth of jobs and industries allied to these projects.

‘MAKE BORDER ROW TALKS WITH SHAH PUBLIC’

Nagpur:

ty (BJP) leader Keshav Upadhye who shared the video on Twitter.

NCP’s Ajit Pawar on Saturday said that the December 14 talks between Karnataka and Maharashtra chief ministers Bavasaraj Bommai and Eknath Shinde respectively, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the border issue should be made public. “Karnataka and Maharashtra CMs’ talks with Shah should be made public. We will support it if the state government brings proposals on the border issues,” said Pawar.

First India Bureau

Ambedkar and Mahatma Phule, he (Shinde) has been made the chief minister on the condition that no matter how many outbursts occur in public, you will not open your mouth or protest.”

CM

Slams

Video

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut —FILE PHOTO

NCP’s Amol Mitkari

BJP MP suffers minor burn injury in Nanded

He was burning an effigy of Pak Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto

Nanded (PTI):

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha MP Pratap Chiklikar suffered a minor burn injury on his hand while lighting an effigy of Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto in Nanded in Maharashtra, a party functionary said on Sunday.

The incident took place on Saturday amid the BJP’s nationwide protests against Bhutto for his objectionable comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Nanded MP suffered a burn injury the moment he lit a matchstick to set ablaze the effigy of the Pakistan minister, the party functionary said.

Chiklikar was immediately helped by those around and not much damage was done, the functionary added.

TEEN GIRL GANG-RAPED IN MAHA VILLAGE, EIGHT HELD

First India Bureau

Palghar: Cops in Palghar district have arrested eight persons in connection with the rape of a teenage girl at a village, said an official on Sunday.

The incident occurred during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, in which the accused raped the girl at an unoccupied bungalow in their beach village. They then took her to the seashore, where they again sexually assaulted her, he said.

A case of gang-rape has been registered against the accused at Satpati police station, said a spokesperson of Palghar district rural police, adding that the victim was around 16 years old.

“In her complaint lodged on Saturday, the

Mumbai blg fire: 2 still critical, 7 discharged

Mumbai (PTI): The condition of two persons among the 12 injured in a fire in a building in suburban Mumbai a day earlier continues to be critical, said an official on Sunday.

He said seven people were discharged from a hospital while the condition of two persons, including an 18-year-old girl, is critical, he said.

A 46-year-old man died and 12 persons, including four police personnel, were hospitalized for inhaling smoke after the blaze broke out in Vishwas building adja-

cent to Parekh Hospital in Ghatkopar area on Saturday afternoon.

The blaze erupted in the electricity meter room of a hotel located on the ground floor of the six-storey building, following which 22 patients undergoing treatment in an adjacent hospital were shifted to another medical facility.

Four police personnel had rushed inside the building to rescue the trapped persons. They were admitted to the hospital due to the inhalation of smoke along with eight others.

In her complaint lodged on Saturday, the victim said that her ordeal began at 8 pm on December 16 and continued till 10 am the next day, during which the accused took her to an unoccupied bungalow in Mahim village where they took turns to rape her. Later, they also took her to the seashore where they again sexually assaulted her in the bushes.

district rural police spokesperson

WOMAN FILES 2ND RAPE CASE AFTER MAN GETS BAIL IN 1ST ONE

Mumbai (PTI): A 32-year-old man has been booked for allegedly raping a woman on the pretext of marriage in Oshiwara, said a Mumbai police official on Saturday. This is the

victim said that her ordeal began at 8 pm on December 16 and continued till 10 am the next day, during which the accused took her to an unoccupied bungalow in Mahim village where they took turns to rape

second rape case the woman has filed against the man, the official added. “She had filed a rape case in Kashimira police station in August, but the accused had got bail from a Thane court after

her. Later, they also took her to the seashore where they again sexually assaulted her in the bushes,” he said.

Based on her complaint, the police arrested the eight accused in the early hours of Sun-

Son’s responsibility to maintain 98-yrold mother: Court

First India Bureau

Mumbai: A magistrate court ordered a 72-year-old man, a retired manager from a private company, to pay his 98-year-old mother temporary monthly maintenance of Rs20,000 and stated that “being a son, it is his responsibility to maintain her.”

The mother had sought monetary and other reliefs from her son, his wife, and their daughter in court. She had reported that they wanted her to leave the flat where they were living together.

The woman said her son was drawing a pension as well as getting money from consultancy services. She

had sought that he pay her Rs35,000 every month, remove himself and family from the flat and urged the court to direct them to stop subjecting her to domestic violence.

The court held that prima facie she is being subjected to domestic violence and it’s necessary to grant a protection order in her favour.

BEST OUT OF WASTE

submitting an affidavit that he would marry her. She has now filed a second case claiming the man raped her recently in a lodge in Jogeshwari,” he said. “She has also alleged the man

day and registered a case against them under various Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections, including 376 (D) (gangrape), 366 (A) (procuration of minor girl), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement)

beat her up demanding she withdraw the rape case filed in Kashimira in Thane district. We have registered a rape case and are probing further,” said the Oshiwara police station official.

and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said.

Further investigation into the case is currently underway.

WOMAN JUMPS OFF HIGH-RISE; COMMITS SUICIDE

Mumbai: A 25-yearold woman allegedly committed suicide by jumping off a high-rise in Andheri West, a police official said on Sunday.

The incident took place late Saturday night, he added. “She jumped off the eighth floor of the building and landed on top of a parked car dying on the spot,” he said.

DN Nagar police have registered an accidental death report and further investigation is on.

MONEY

THANE

Thane: Three persons have been booked for allegedly posing as Maharashtra Pollution Control Board officials and extorting money from factory owners in Thane district, a police official said on Sunday. No arrest has been made in the case registered under various IPC sections for impersonation and extortion on the complaint of a Dombivali-based powder coating factory owner.

MBMC UNVEILS FIVE MIST SPRAY CANNONS TO COMBAT DEGRADING AQI

Mira Bhayandar: The Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has commissioned five mist spray cannons to reduce dust and air pollution levels in the twin city. A trial run of the canons was conducted in the presence of MBMC chief Dilip Dhole. “The civic administration purchased the five canons worth Rs1.98 crore from the funds received under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP),” said Dhole.

ACTOR SEXUALLY HARASSING WOMAN BOOKED

Thane (PTI): The state government has directed the collectors of all districts in the state to set up CM’s secretariat cells in their respective districts for early redressal of people’s grievances.

A Government Resolution (GR) to this effect was issued on Friday.

It said these secretariat cells were earlier set up at the divisional level. But the facility is being further extended to the district level.

The government order also said that earlier, citizens had to go all the way to the state secre-

tariat in Mumbai to submit their applications and get their issues resolved. But their time and efforts were saved with the setting up of the divisional CM secretariat offices.

“Now to make the task easier further and make it more transparent as well as speedy, the decision to set up the district level cells has been taken,” it said.

Resident deputy collectors of the district will head the cell and a “nayab tehsildar” will assist him or her in the task, it added.

Rotting plastic in BMC warehouses to become benches

also plan to make pencil boxes out of it.

Despite the fact that the state government partially eased the prohibition on single-use plastics two weeks ago, the BMC warehouses are filled with 4,000kg of material confiscated in previous raids.

First India Bureau

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has invited tenders to upcycle imperishable stuff into street furniture such as benches, tables and garbage bins. The civic body

The BMC revived the drive against banned plastic on July 01 after over two years of COVID-19 restrictions. Wardwise teams were formed to inspect markets, shops and establishments, with officials from the

licence department seizing banned plastic and penalizing violators. For every violation, a penalty of Rs5,000 to Rs25,000 was imposed. The seized

plastic was then dumped in BMC warehouses.

In these past months, civic teams collected around 4,000kg of material till November.

The

STRICT ACTION

Mumbai: Police have registered a case of intimidation, sexual harassment and extortion against television actor Amit Antil. As per the complaint lodged by a south Mumbai teacher at Malabar Hill police station, Antil blackmailed her with some of her intimate photos that he had shot. He allegedly told her he would kill her son if she didn’t pay in exchange for the photos.

Mumbai: The Anti Narcotics Cell of the Mumbai crime branch Saturday arrested two drug peddlers and seized mephedrone worth Rs1 crore. The police said the two accused, whose movements appeared “suspicious”, were caught from a lane near Sion leading to the seizure of 500 gm of the substance. The two are members of a drug syndicate and have been placed under arrest.

Three years ago, Project Mumbai—a nonprofit organization started collecting plastic from housing societies and upcycling it into benches, pencil boxes and garbage bins. Some benches

are installed in around 50 civic gardens and even civic-run schools.

Now, the BMC’s Solid Waste Management Department was also in talk with NGOs for similar projects.

Vigilance committees to review beautification work

First India Bureau

Mumbai: To ensure that the work of the ‘Mumbai beautification project’ progresses as per the deadline, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will appoint vigilance committees at the ward and zonal levels. The committee will review the work status weekly.

Civic chief and Administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal took a review of the beautification work on Friday.

It was decided in the meeting that a wardwise weekly review and

zone-wise fortnight review of each work will be taken.

Also a ward-wise and department-wise vigilance committee will be appointed for taking regular reviews of the work. If any sort of complaint comes forward, it will be resolved by the committee immediately, said the civic sources.

—Palghar

The accused allegedly took the victim to an unoccupied bungalow near the beach on December 16

3

Navi Mumbai: After the reshuffle of senior police officials in Navi Mumbai, a total of nine police inspectors have been transferred within the Navi Mumbai Police Commissionerate. Similarly, 21 police personnel have been transferred to the traffic branch. An order was issued by the Police Commissionerate office. Last month in November, former Police Commissioner Bipin Kumar Singh transferred 11 senior police inspectors.

NINE POLICE INSPECTORS TRANSFERRED WITHIN CITY’S POLICE COMMISSIONERATE

Jalna: An organization working for the development of Marathwada region has criticized the government over its decision to form Kokan Development Authority (KDA) for the coastal districts. President of the ‘Marathwada Anushesh Nirmulan Aani Vikas Manch’ Dr Sanjay Patil claimed that the Eknath Shinde-led government’s decision to form the KDA was a violation of the Nagpur Accord and Article of 371(2) of the Indian Constitution.

OBJECTION RAISED AGAINST DECISION TO FORM KOKAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Civic body has invited tenders to upcycle imperishable material into street furniture

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde

CM secretariat cells to be formed soon

MODI DOES TOUGH THINGS AND LEADS FROM THE FRONT!

The narrator shares with us how PM Modi is forward thinking and his steps towards modernization of the police force by introduction of technology, inclusion of women, focusing on human capital and instant grievance redressal has transformed the force.

Earlier police modernization was mainly based on vehicles and housing. But during NaMo’s time, emphasis shifted to technology and the state started to take care of housing issues. If you look carefully at the development statistics after NaMo came into power, computerization came about on a big level and technology began to play a major role in modernization.

There is a monthly review in which Gujarat used to be on number three and after all the effort we put in, at least till when I was DGM, Gujarat came on the number one spot in the area of computerization of peace process. While this started from Gujarat, today of course, everything is

monitored from New Delhi. A lot of initiatives that have come through in the force are because of PM Modi’s vision. Earlier we used to bear the brunt of manpower crunch.

Today a lot of educated youth from other fields have also started applying in police. We used to have eighth pass recruits, then we raised the bar to twelfth pass and today, graduates are coming in too.

Once you have intelligent people coming into the force, obviously the quality is going to improve.

One very good thing he did with the police was to do away with interviews at the lower levels. The recruitment of constables, head constables, sub-inspectors involved physical test as the first step.

After physical, a written test and then an interview. He made sure that the interview is done away with, thereby making the process totally neutral. So whosoever

came on job after that, they came purely on the basis of merit. Introducing meritocracy was the next big thing he did for the police in Gujarat!

SRP companies always faced a manpower resource crunch. It was a big issue for us. Creating four-five groups all at once happened during his time. These days any issue that comes up, the DG does not have a problem sending manpower to tackle situations. There was a time when taking out one company for a situation used to be a challenge. For example, the Election Commission used to ask us for resources and we had to manage with whatever little we had. Now we are in a very comfortable position, thanks to him and his vision at that time.

Well, we had the IB manual and unfortunately, since the 70’s the manual had been hanging fire. People would pick it up, look at it but it

would not be done. We did a very simple thing – we distributed it chapter-wise among our subbing officers, we edited it and convened a committee meeting. It was done quickly and we sent the manual to Home Department. The manual was cleared in one day by the CMO. Then it came back to us and we got it printed. We got it translated and printed in Gujarati as well and that manual was the first manual of IB which talks about procedures and everything in Gujarat.

He visualized a separate cadre in State Police where direct intelligence officers started coming in. These officers came in at the AIO level and SIO level as well. Earlier when someone would come in from the district, it would be due to some personal problem or as a punishment. This person would not take adequate interest in his

One remarkable thing Modi did with the police was to do away with interviews at the lower levels. The recruitment of constables, head constables, sub-inspectors involved physical test as the first step. After physical, written and then interview. He made sure that interview is done away with, ensuring neutral process. So whosoever came on job after that, they came purely on merit basis.

work. But for this Direct Officer, this is his career. He works hard in his field bringing readiness at the core level that impacts the quality of human resources. Today IB also has technologies it did not possess earlier.

So much so, today in Gujarat, focus on Human Resource and Technology has made it possible to predict what is going to happen when and where. While terrorism can never be ignored, even law and order situations are being predicted with details.

These details are specific, as in, at this point this is going to happen at this place at this time. All this was almost impossible earlier!

Talking about grievance redressal, there used to be a program called Swagat. He used to chair the program and people used to put forth their grievance personally.

They were asked which unit they came from and the griev-

ance used to be disposed off accordingly. Now NaMo had very clear thinking and if you happened to appear before him unprepared, well, you were sure to sweat. He would ensure that much and the redressal used to be instant. Nothing would linger on for the future. As NaMo was always present for the event, people got a clear message that if anything happens, it would reach him and the offender would not be spared! Women empowerment too started from his time. Earlier, hardly two or three mahila police would be present in the station and they would not have a proper job or a goal in the station. He visualized a lot of things and decided that women must get their rights. It had a tremendous impact on the force. The human face that the police has got today, it is because of the inclusion of women in the police force. This has also improved the quality levels of police stations. PI who would earlier ignore them, today he is forced to give them proper roles. When I was DG, I put in a circular to ensure that all the good roles too must be given to the women proportionately and if they are good, give them roles, may be out of proportion also. Over a period of time, they are now holding charge of police stations. This was unimaginable at one point. NaMo is forward thinking and this has benefitted the force tremendously. He leads from the front. If there is a blast, there never is a question of whether Modi would reach there or not. He has to be there, he has to see it, give instructions on the spot! It is a given!

COMPILED AND EDITED BY SHASHIKANT SHARMA AND SHWETA SHARMA

‘MODI INTRODUCED, A BIG THING FOR GUJARAT POLICE, MERITOCRACY’

INCLUSION OF WOMEN GAVE THE POLICE FORCE ITS HUMAN FACE

“

HOOCH TRAGEDY TOLL CROSSED 100”

People performing last rites without post-mortem due to fear of police: Sushil Kumar Modi

(ANI): BJP MP

Sushil Modi on Sunday claimed that the family members of the victims in the Chapra hooch tragedy are performing their last rites without post-mortem due to “fear of the police”.

Modi accused the state govt of hiding the actual number of deaths in the tragedy and claimed “more than 100 deaths”. “The death toll has crossed 100 but the government is hiding the numbers. Due to fear of the police, people are performing the last rites of their family members without a post-mortem,” Modi said while addressing the reporters here.

Modi on Saturday had met the families of those who lost their lives in the Chhapra hooch tragedy.

The death toll in Bihar's Chhapra due to the consumption of spurious liquor has mounted to 65. The incident was initially reported on Wednesday.

The death toll has crossed 100 but the government is hiding the numbers. Due to fear of the police, people are performing the last rites of their family members without a post-mortem.

—Sushil Kumar Modi, MP, BJP

Most deaths reportedly occurred over Wednesday and Thursday, evoking an uproar inside and outside the Bihar Assembly. Several leaders of the opposition are claiming more deaths than the official.

WINTER SESSION OF PARLIAMENT

Appropriation bills to be introduced in RS today

The BJP-led Opposition took on the ruling JD(U)-RJD over the rising number of hooch deaths despite a ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in the state, which has been in effect since April 2016.

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will on Monday introduce The Appropriation (No 4 & 5) Bills, 2022, in Rajya Sabha for consideration, and for returning to Lok Sabha, where they have been passed.

The Appropriation (No 5) Bill, 2022, is to authorise payment and appropriation of certain further sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the 2022-2023 fiscal.

The Appropriation (No 4) Bill, 2022, is to provide for authorisation of appropriation of moneys out of Consolidated Fund of India to meet amounts spent on certain services during financial year ended on the March 31, 2020, in excess of amounts granted for those services.

New Delhi: Actor Kangana Ranaut has sought permission for shooting her upcoming film “Emergency” inside Parliament premises, sources said on Sunday. Her letter is under consideration but she is unlikely to be granted permission, they said.

HERITAGE THEFT: PARL PANEL CALLS ED, CUSTOM, DRI

New Delhi: The meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture has summoned representatives of the Ministry of Finance, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), the chief of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), and Director of Enforcemen to discus heritage theft.

ONE KILLED, 9 INJURED AS SCHOOL BUS OVERTURNS, FALLS INTO PIT IN UP

Will

liquor prohibition

be reversed with a handing over ‘power’ by Nitish to Tejashwi?

Shamsher Singh

New Delhi: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar will have to withdraw the decision of liquor prohibition. It is merely a question of timing of when the decision should be taken back, but theoretically the atmosphere has been created for the decision to be rolled back. So far Nitish was able to stick to this decision because he had the support of ally, the BJP. When the Rashtriya Janata Dal was also involved in the government, it did not oppose it openly. Its leaders made sporadic statements but did not press for the withdrawal of this law. But now there is pressure on Nitish from both inside and outside. His ally RJD leaders are pressurizing him to withdraw this decision, so now the BJP is also openly saying that the decision should

be cancelled.

After the death of about 60 people allegedly due to spurious liquor in Chhapra, the home constituency of RJD supremo Lalu

Prasad, serious questions are being raised on prohibition. Keep in mind that after going again with Lalu Prasad's party, Nitish Kumar's government relaxed the prohibition law in many ways. The provisions of arrest were also relaxed. Now the next step is the return of the law. Informed sources say that Nitish Kumar himself may not withdraw the decision but he is going to hand over the power to Tejashwi Yadav very soon, sooner than expected.

Gorakhpur: A man was killed and nine people were injured after a school bus overturned and fell into a 10-ft-deep pit here on Sunday as its driver lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid hitting a cyclist, police said. The cyclist, Tilakdhari (50), died and the bus driver, Dharmendra Yadav (28), was critically injured in the accident that occurred in Bhainsa Dhoda village under Khorabar police station area, they said. The bus, which was carrying 62 passengers, was going from Deoria to Gorakhpur, an official said.

—FILE PHOTO MP: HC CIRCULAR ON SUBORDINATE & LOWER COURTS

Bhopal: The subordinate judiciary in the state of Madhya Pradesh will now be referred to as the district judiciary and lower courts as trial courts, according to a recent High Court circular.. This was resolved at a full court meeting of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in which Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and other judges took part on Friday, it said.

MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING NURSE WIFE,

2

KIDS IN

UK

London: The male suspect being questioned by UK police for murder of an Indian nurse and her two children has been charged with three counts of murder. Saju Chelavalel, 52, known as the husband of deceased nurse Anju Asok, was charged by the Northamptonshire Police on Saturday with the murder of Asok (35), Jeeva Saju (6) and Janvi Saju (4).

UP MINISTER CONVICTED IN CASES OF MODEL CODE VIOLATION IN 2012 POLLS

Pilibhit: A local court has convicted UP Minister Sanjay Singh Gangwar in two cases of violation of the model code of conduct during the 2012 assembly polls and sentenced him to three months imprisonment. The MP-MLA court also imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on the minister in each of the cases. He was acquitted in a third case of violation of the model code of conduct. Gangwar, who was present in the court, was taken into custody after his sentencing. However, later his counsel filed a bail application, which the court considered.

‘Conflict’ in Himachal Cong was for CM’s post: Sukhu

New Delhi (PTI):

There is no infighting within the Himachal Pradesh Congress and the “conflict” was only for chief ministership as there were three-four claimants, newly sworn-in CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has said, adding if something were wrong, there would have been a “Rajasthan-like situation”.

He asserted that no Congress legislator in the state would defect to the BJP and the party's government was committed to work for the

people and would fulfil the promise of restoring the old pension scheme for government

Kerala govt ‘delayed’ buffer zone survey: UDF

Ernakulam (PTI): The Congress-led UDF opposition on Sunday alleged that the ruling Left Front government in Kerala wasted time since June this year to carry out a manual survey of areas which may fall in the one-kilometre buffer zone around protected forests and wildlife sanctuaries, and called the satellite survey report as “incomplete and inaccurate”.

The objections against the satellite survey report of the

state government have been gaining momentum over the last few days with locals of affected areas, Congress party and Christian religious organisations terming the survey as “inaccurate” and “lacking clarity”.

In view of the criticisms against the report, state Forest Minister AK Saseendran on Sunday said that it would not be placed before the Supreme Court or the Centre in its present form.

SPOILSPORT OR KINGMAKER?

employees in the first cabinet meeting. In an interview with PTI, Sukhu said, “We

Lawrence Bishnoi gang member arrested in Punjab

Chandigarh: The Patiala police nabbed a gangster linked with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and seized four pistols and a revolver along with cartridges from him. Patiala SSP Varun Sharma said the police nabbed Rahul Singh, 19, a resident of Badau in Uttar Pradesh, from Patiala-Rajpura bypass road. Rahul is associated with gangsters Deepak alias Deepu Banur and Naveen alias Kala Pega, both lodged in jail for murder.

have spoken to the finance secretary. Under a strategy we know from where we have to

generate money and where we have to invest. We have done the work on introducing the old

pension scheme and we will introduce it in the first cabinet meeting."

About the expansion of his Cabinet, he said it will happen soon and denied reports about some MLAs lobbying for ministerial berths.

After the Congress wrested power from the BJP in the hill state winning 40 of the 68 assembly seats, the party picked Sukhu, 58, as CM over some other claimants to the post, including state party chief Pratibha Singh and Mukesh Agnihotri.

India has jumped to 3rd ranking in scientific publications: MoS

First India Bureau

New Delhi: India has jumped from 7th to 3rd global ranking in scientific publications. This was disclosed here on Sunday by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh after a review with Union Secretary Department of Science & Technology Dr S Chandrasekhar.

Lauding the efforts of India’s scientific fraternity, Dr Singh gave all credit to an enabling

Who benefits from the fight between Cong & BRS?

If the BRS and the Congress fight among themselves, it will be to the advantage of BJP

Mahesh Sharma

New Delhi: The tussle between K Chandrasekhar Rao’s party Bharat Rashtra Samithi ie BRS and the Congress party does not seem to be ending anytime soon. Before next

year’s assembly elections, both the parties are engaged in their own positioning. Now the dispute between the two has reached such a point where the scope of reconciliation is continuously decreasing. The dispute between the two has escalated after the Telangana police raided the state office of the Congress and took away computers etc. Police took action for allegedly writing objectionable posts

against the Chief Minister and went to the party office and seized

electronic equipment while also interrogating those working in

the Congress office. This is an unprecedented event. That’s why the Congress opposed it in the Parliament. Telangana State Congress President Revanth Reddy protested against it in the premises of the Parliament House. However, Congress leaders were taken by surprise when TRS leader K Keshav Rao turned up to attend the meeting called by Mallikarjun Kharge. By the time he reached, the

meeting of the opposition parties was over, yet he tried to downplay the Telangana incident.

Now the question is whether Chief Minister Chandrashekhar Rao has realised as to who will get the benefit of fight between him and the Congress? If the BRS and the Congress fight among themselves, it will be to the advantage of the BJP, which is preparing to contest the elections in Telangana very aggressively.

milieu and freedom of working provided by PM Narendra Modi. He said, the very fact that such quantum leaps in our scientific pursuits are happening only in

the last few years is a testimony to the push given by PM Modi both in terms of the ease of policy as well as his personal indulgence and prioritisation.

MoS Dr Singh said that as per the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Science & Engineering Indicators 2022 report of the United States, India’s position globally in scientific publications, has improved from 7th position in 2010 to 3rd position in 2020.

Name of MoS’s dad in PMAY fuels row inWB

Kolkata (Agencies): A fresh political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal over Trinamool Congress' allegation that the name of Bidhubushan Pramanik, the father of Union Minister of State (MoS) Nisith Pramanik, was on the list of eligible residents under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme which is basically for those who are below a particular financial status level. On Sunday, chairman of TMC-run Cooch Behar civic body

Patna

Rabindranath Ghosh alleged that despite owning a palatial mansion in Cooch Behar district, the name of Nisith Pramanik's father appears in the list of recipients eligible for getting houses under the PMAY scheme.

Telangana

CM K Chandrashekar Rao with Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) members unveils BRS flags, in Hyderabad. —FILE PHOTO

Former Bihar Deputy CM and BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi at a presser regarding recent hooch tragedy in Saran district, in Patna, on Sunday.

Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu speaks at Indian Youth Congress office, in New Delhi, on Saturday. —PHOTO BY PTI

CONG MEET FOR ‘HAATH JODO’ ON DEC 23

KANGANA WANTS TO SHOOT ‘EMERGENCY’ INSIDE PARLIAMENT

Tejashwi can be the CM only in March next year and then his government will decide about it (liquor prohibition)

MoS Nisith Pramanik

Dr Jitendra Singh

BRIEFS

Focus to improve trade facilitation: FM

New Delhi (PTI): The Centre is committed to improve trade facilitation for every stakeholder, including Customs Department personnel and those involved in the trading communities, said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday.

New Delhi: The gross direct tax collections have grown 26 per cent to over Rs 13.63 lakh crore so far this fiscal, aided by TDS deductions and healthy corporate advance tax mop-up, as per an official statement. After adjusting for refunds, the net direct tax collection so far this fiscal stands at Rs 11.35 lakh crore, which is about 80% of the full-year gross Budget target.Refunds worth about Rs 2.28 lakh crore have been issued till December 17, 2022, a growth of 68 per cent over the year-ago period. —PTI

17% OF TOTAL 756

PROJECTS DELAYED BY OVER 5 YEARS

Beyond construction of a new building, these days emphasis is also given on how energy-efficient the buildings would be so that there is no pollution or disturbance to anyone, she said at an event here.

“I am extremely happy to lay the foundation stone for new office complex ‘Vaigai’

which is aptly named and actually comes out of the commitment that the na-

Automobile industry looks to sustain growth momentum in 2023

First India Bureau

New Delhi: As many as 132 out of the 756 delayed projects or 17.4% projects are running behind schedule by 5 years and more.

Delay in land acquisition and forest clearances, lack of infrastructure support and linkages, delay in tieup for project financing and lack of infrastructure support are some of the reasons for these projects running behind schedule.

It also stated that out of 1,476 projects, 364 reported cost overruns and as many as 756 projects were delayed. —Agencies

2023

New Delhi: The Indian automobile industry is setting out on a journey with hopes for a sustained growth momentum in 2023 and further embracing clean technology amid the lurking speed breakers of rising interest rates and cost increases due to new emission and safety norms, having witnessed a strong comeback from the COVIDled downturn this year.

While the passenger vehicles (PV) segment is set for record sales in 2022 despite the lingering effects

of supply chain constraints and semiconductor shortages, the two-wheeler space is yet to see sustained sales buoyancy after having suffered for most of the year.

As per industry estimates, PV sales can reach around 38 lakh units this year. Also, in 2023, vehicles in India will get expensive.

Leading auto manufacturers in India have announced price hikes on a range of models starting next month.

The decision is aimed to offset the increasing input cost and comply with stricter emission norms, coming into effect April 2023.

tion has made to improve trade facilitation”, Sitharaman said at the foundation

stone-laying ceremony of new office complex ‘Vaigai’ at Customs House here.

“There was a time when we thought that we have to build office space based on officers, staff and requirements. These days, it is also looking at how green our buildings are going to be, and how energy-efficient these buildings will be,” she said.

“In trade facilitation, the country actually stands to benefit from and also to set standards on the way in which we have our Customs or tax officials and their workplaces,” she said.

‘NEW BUILDING TO SET STANDARDS’

New Delhi (PTI): Hailing that the proposed building being set up at a cost of Rs 92 crore would accommodate 11 partnership agencies of Customs Department, she said the building would set a standard in the way it is being constructed. “Today facilitating import-export agents, women officers and their children are all taken into considerations,” she said. As per officials, the new building would also have a refreshment area for women. Sitharaman hailed the ‘facelift’ given to the existing over century-old buildings of the Customs Department and said it was thoughtfully done and drives inspiration from the Centre’s ‘Swachch Bharat’ campaign. “Polishing those credible awards won by the Customs Department and giving them the due shine is very symbolic and also indicative to what extent minute planning has happened so that the old building is also more workable and gives the ambience that is required for everybody working,” she said. According to sources, the building would be designed like a ‘vessel’ or a ‘ship’ and it would be similar to future constructions that would be undertaken by the department. The new complex would also be one of the 24 new infrastructure projects undertaken by the Customs Department at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore across the country, he said.

AMBANI TO TAKE ON TATA, ITC, PATANJALI, ADANI WITH FMCG BRAND ‘INDEPENDENCE’

Mumbai (PTI): Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance will rival FMCG food businesses of ITC, Tata Consumer Products Ltd and Adani Wilmar with launch of brand ‘Independence’ for staples, processed foods, beverages and other daily essentials, analysts said.

Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL), the newly set up FMCG arm of Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL) last week made a foray into staples with launch of brand Independence in line with announcement Ambani had made at the company’s annual shareholder meeting earlier this year.

It will be “competing

ON A PILOT TESTING BASIS

z The launch is only in Gujarat, possibly on a pilot testing basis, and has indicated that products would be affordably priced. Post development of the brand, it will be rolled out nationally

58% Indians cut ‘Make in China’ purchases

New Delhi (Agencies):

z Independence line of products will be available on the Jio Mart app and Reliance retail stores currently

z The categories include biscuits, packaged water, edible oil, packaged atta (wheat flour), besan (gram flour), pulses, grains and sugar

OTHER STORIES

with Adani Wilmar in edible oil, grains and pulses; Patanjali Foods in biscuits, edible oil, packaged atta; Parle and Britannia in biscuits; Tata Consumer in pulses, packaged water; and ITC in packaged atta, biscuits,” brokerage Nomura said.

RRVL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).

“RCPL is a newly-incorporated company despite RRVL already having a range of private-label brands which are sold across its 2,460 brick and mortar grocery stores and Jio Mart app which reaches 2 million merchant partners/kirana stores across 260 cities,” Nomura said.

GOVERNMENT PLANS TO AUCTION SIX MINERAL BLOCKS IN ODISHA, RAJASTHAN IN JANUARY

New Delhi: BMW Motorrad, the two wheeler division of the German luxury car maker, expects sales to grown in double digits next year as well as it remains bullish on the long term growth prospects of the country. The company, which sells a range of motorcycles in the country, is looking to cross the 7,000 unit sales mark this year. With sales volume this year till November having already crossed the 6,000 units mark, a growth of around 40% as compared to same period last year, BMW Motorrad India has for the first time entered the top ten markets for the brand globally. —PTI

IMF APPROVES $3BN

LOAN TO EGYPT AMID HIGH INFLATION

z Honda: The Japanese car maker may increase price of its vehicles by up to `30,000.

z Hyundai India: The price rise will vary across models and will come into effect from January 2023.

z Jeep India: Jeep SUVs across models will see a price hike of 2-4%.

z Maruti Suzuki: The company says the decision was prompted by continued cost pressure and recent regulatory requirements.

z Tata Motors: The price rise

will be for both the ICE and EVs models offered by the company.

z Kia India: Kia vehicles will get expensive by up to ₹50,000 from January 2023.

z Mercedes-Benz: The luxury car company will increase prices by up to 5%.

z MG Motor: The company will raise prices of its SUV by up to ₹90,000.

z Audi India: The company will raise car prices by up to 1.7 percent from January 2023.

LATEST GOVERNMENT DATA

Cairo: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that its executive board had approved a loan to Egypt of about $3 billion. As per IMF, the financial support was granted in exchange for an economic reform program from the Egyptian government, which it hopes can pave sthe way for “sustainable, inclusive and private-sector-led growth”. The loan comes at when Egypt is suffering high inflation due to RussiaUkraine crisis. —Agencies

About 58 per cent of Indians have reduced their ‘Make in China’ purchases due to the current geo-political situation while 26 per cent said they found Indian alternatives to be better in price and quality when it comes to fashion, apparel, vehicle accessories and gadgets categories, a new survey has shown.

About 59 per cent of Indians surveyed said they do not have any Chinese app on their phone while 29 per cent still have one or more, according to data compiled by social community engagement platform LocalCircles.

The survey received over 40,000 responses from consumers located in 319 districts. In addition, 8 per cent stated that their choice was determined by the fact that they “didn’t find many aMake in China’ products in the markets, stores or online”. The survey came as the trade deficit between India and China is widening.

58% of govt-recognised start-ups centred in 5 states

New Delhi (Agencies):

Nearly 58% of the government-recognised start-ups are confined to just 5 states in the country. A total of 84,012 start-ups have been recognised by the government (as on November 30, 2022). However, the latest government data showed that nearly 60% of the total government recognized start-ups are from the states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.

While Maharashtra tops with 15,571 government recognised start-ups, states like Karnataka, Delhi, UP

and Gujarat have respectively 9,904; 9,588; 7,719, and 5,877 such entities. The government with the intent to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation

and start-ups launched the Start-up India initiative on January 16, 2016.

In order to meet the objectives of the initiative, the government unveiled

ACTION PLAN FOR START-UP

z The Action Plan comprises multiple items spanning areas such as “Simplification and handholding”, “Funding support and incentives” and “Industryacademia partnership and incubation.”

an Action Plan for Start-up India that laid the foundation of government support, schemes and incentives envisaged to create a vibrant start-up ecosystem.

New Delhi: The government plans to put on sale next month six mineral blocks in the states of Odisha and Rajasthan. Of these six blocks to be auctioned, three are bauxite mines and three are limestone blocks.

The 3 bauxite blocks Ballada, Kutrumali and Sijimali & 2 limestone mines Garramura and Uskalabgu in Odisha are virgin blocks, as per the latest report by the mines ministry. The remaining mine is the Nimana-Duniya limestone block in Kota, Rajasthan. The notice inviting tender for all 6 blocks was floated in the month of November. Since the amendment to the MMDR Act, 1957 in 2015, a total of 216 mineral blocks have been auctioned till November 30 across 10 states. —PTI

HOTEL, RESORT ROOMS SOLD OUT AS DEMAND SOARS FOR NEW YEAR

New Delhi: Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) will spend ` 7,930 crore under the PLI scheme for specialty steel to manufacture eight types of high-end alloy in the country, it’s Managing Director Bimlendra Jha said.

JSPL is one of the qualifiers of the government’s productionlinked incentive (PLI) scheme which aims to increase the output of value-added steel using new-age technologies in the domestic steel sector. On December 9, the government announced the selection of 67 entries with an investment potential of ` 42,500 crore under the scheme. —PTI

New Delhi: The domestic hospitality industry is gearing up to make the most of full-fledged Christmas and New Year celebrations this time around after 2 years of washout by the pandemic, with rooms at many hotels and resorts already sold out. Lonavala, Vizag, Dharamshala, Udaipur, Manali and Gir are witnessing good demand, apart from traditional popular places like Goa, Kerala and Shimla. There is a very high level of occupancy in the southern side and the western region locations such as Alibaugh and Lonavala are already almost full. —PTI

BANKS LOOKING AT POSSIBILITY OF RUPEE TRADE WITH BANGLADESH, AFRICAN NATIONS

New Delhi: Banks are looking at the possibility of initiating rupee trade with Bangladesh and African countries like Egypt as part of exercise to make rupee an international currency, sources said. The overseas trade in rupee would safeguard the external sector from fluctuation in the forex market. India imported goods worth USD 3,520.83 million from Egypt, of USD 1,004.24 million from Algeria and USD 2,725.08 million from Angola in the last financial year. As far as Bangladesh is concerned, the import in the last year from the neighbouring country stood at USD 1,977.93 million, according to the data provided by the commerce ministry. —PTI

BMW MOTORRAD EYES DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH IN

COMPANIES THAT HAVE ANNOUNCED PRICE HIKE

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman lays the foundation stone of the new office complex ‘Vaigai’, at the Customs House, in Chennai on Sunday.

—PHOTO BY ANI

INTER-RELIGION MARRIAGES

‘Not against it, but some kind of intervention is needed’

MP RANA TAKES OUT WALK AGAINST ‘LOVE-JIHAD’

Mumbai: After facing flak from one section of the opposition and certain communities over the formation of ‘Intercaste/Interreligious Marriage-Family Coordination Committee’, on Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that the committee is concerned with inter-religious marriages and not intercaste marriages and stressed that the govern-

If you had asked me four or five years ago, I would have said that there is no such thing as ‘love jihad’. I believed so, but the way things are now, the question of stopping ‘inter-religious’ marriages does not arise. But some kind of intervention is needed.

Stop Surajgarh Iron Ore Project, else face result, says Naxal letter

Gadchiroli: The dispute between Naxalism and the administration has once again flared up in Gadchiroli district over the Surajgarh iron ore project. As a result of this, the populance in the district is fearing of bad days ahead as the naxalites have been issuing threats. The Surajgarh Iron Ore Project is running for the last five years and the project has always been opposed by local candidates. Even before this, locals of Surajgarh, who are associated with naxal organizations, had opposed the project and about 80 vehicles were set on fire by the Naxalites.

Meanwhile, once again the administration and Naxals are at loggerheads as the Naxalites have threatened NCP MLA Dharmarao Baba Atram.

The ongoing dispute over the excavation of the iron ore project, has caught traction during the Gram Panchayat

elections. NCP MLA Dharmarao Baba Atram has received threats from Naxalites regarding the mining of Surajgarh iron ore project. The Naxals have given a direct threat to the MLAs and the administration to stop Surajgarh iron ore project, claiming that failure to do so would witness nexals effectively bringing the project to a halt.

It has been claimed that excavation of this project is causing damage to water, forest, land and natural resources and it is affect-

Thackeray dances with people insulting Hindu deities: Kesarkar

First India Bureau

Shirdi: Minister of State Deepak Kesarkar visited Shirdi on Sunday to pray at the Shirdi Sai Baba temple where he prayed for the prosperity in Maharashtra. However, he also said that he has immense respect for Uddhav Thackeray.

“I respect Uddhav sir. As long as government was there (MVA), there was a mask on the face. But the mask came off as soon as the government fell. MLAs like us were also not getting to meet (Uddhav). Maharashtra had come to a standstill,” he said.

“ The state has to be run efficiently. Pointing

to the center doesn’t work. Our government is bringing new technology in Maharashtra. You (Thackeray) dance with those who insult Hindu deities, but here you pretend to be a Maharashtra lover,” the minister said hitting out at Thackeray group.

Kesarkar stressed that if one member of the Shinde group makes a mistake, they will hold him accountable.

ing the citizens here. That’s why this work has been threatened to be stopped immediately. This controversy has come into the limelight after the direct letter of this threat was recently handed.

A Naxalite named Srinivas of the Communist Party of India Maoist’s West Zone Committee has brought out a press note directly criticizing the people’s representatives and the administration. The Surajgarh iron ore project is being opposed for the last five years.

ment is promoting intercaste marriages.

“This committee constituted by the state government is concerned with ‘inter-religious’ marriages and is not about ‘inter-caste’ marriages. The government wants to promote ‘intercaste’ marriages. The purpose of the committee constituted in relation to inter-religious marriages is not to oppose such marriages.

Many things are coming out from ‘inter-religious’ marriages. An ‘inter-religious’ marriage takes place, and the girl returns in six-eight months. She gets cheated. It is okay if there is another incident, it happens in a religion, it hap-

pens in a caste too. But, the figures coming out in front of such incidents in some districts are frightening. This committee has been constituted for it,” Devendra Fadnavis explained.

“If you had asked me four or five years ago, I would have said that there is no such thing as ‘love jihad’. I believed so, but the way things are now, the question of stopping ‘inter-religious’ marriages does not arise. But some kind of intervention is needed,” Fadnavis said.

“Inter-religion marriages are disrupting social harmony. Riots are happening every day. Communities in villages have started com-

Mumbai: A march was organized on Sunday at the Amrawati Collectorate on behalf of the entire Hindu community to protest against the killings of Shraddha Walker in Delhi, against ‘Love Jihad’, and to demand the implementation of the Prohibition Act.

Thousands of women, girls, and various Hindutva organizations participated in the protest march.

The said march was taken out from Rajkamal Chowk in the city to Collector’s office. Police had made elaborate arrangements to prevent any untoward incident. MP Navneet Rana, MLA Praveen Pote, BJP District President Nivedita Chaudhary, along with office bearers and activists of BJP, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Durga Vahini, etc. organizations participated in the march. Navneet Rana said that she would raise her voice in the Lok Sabha to get the law passed to prevent Love Jihad in all the states of the country. Rana also warned on this occasion that in the name of art and freedom of expression, the denigration of Hindu gods and goddesses or statements that hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus would never be tolerated.

ing face to face with each other. In such a situation, the government cannot remain silent. It is not a matter of

banning any religion or marriage between two religions. An agreed marriage is the best. If everything is fine then

BHIMA-KOREGAON PROTESTS

there is no problem. But if there is a conspiracy behind it, it should be brought to the fore,” the Deputy CM said.

Withdraw cases against protesters: Athawale

First India Bureau

Pune: Union Minister for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale has commented on the Bhima Koregaon cases and stressed that cases should be withdrawn.

Athawale said, “I will meet CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and put forward my point. Just like the cases of the Maratha reservation protesters were withdrawn, the Bhima Koregoan case should also be withdrawn.”

“Earlier, only our meetings were held there, but now there are many people. But the administration has decided that meetings cannot be held in that area anymore. We welcome the decision, but the meeting should be allowed to be held nearby,” Athawale said. Athawale also reacted to the MVA’s rally march held on Saturday and said, “The front is now together. It is not known whether they will stay together during the elections. They could not manage

I will meet Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and put forward my point. Just like the cases of the Maratha reservation protestors were withdrawn, the Bhima Koregoan case should also be withdrawn.

—Ramdas Athawale, Union Minister of State for Social Justice

Mask your thoughts; masking face won’t be needed: Sawant

First India Bureau

Mumbai: BJP minister Chandrakant Patil made objectionable statements about Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Phule recently, which was followed by sharp reactions from political cir-

cles of state. After this, Chandrakant Patil even apologized. Interestingly, after this incident, Chandrakant Patal has been threatened with once again of being spit on the face and as a result his security has been increased while Patil has

HAR-HAR MAHADEV ROW

started wearing a face shield to save himself from such an act.

Shivaji’s descendant demands forming state level committee for historical films

tor Subodh Bhave. On the other hand, Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati, Shivaji’s descendant and erstwhile Kolhapur royal, has given a public challenge to Subodh Bhave to clear his issues.

permission from the Censor Board. However, the Censor Board is sitting in Delhi. It is not known who exactly are the historians in

In this connection, Congress leader Sachin Sawant has targetted Patil saying that it would be far more beneficial if he could mask his thoughts and not his face.

“I think it would be more beneficial to mask our thoughts. If

the thinking is principled, courage comes automatically. Then there is strength to face any crisis. When Savitribai Phule opened a school for women, she faced slander, but she did not cover her face,” Sawant tweeted targetting Patil.

Sub-

‘Har

has created controversy once again. As this film will be released on Zee Marathi, devotees of Chhatrapati Shivaji and some organizations have become aggressive and have issued a warning. Meanwhile, some Shivaji devotees in Kolhapur also registered their objection towards ac-

Sambhaji Raje once again expressed his opposition to the film ‘Har Har Mahadev’ by holding a press conference. This time he reiterated the reasons behind the protest. He also demanded that the state government should appoint a committee of historians at the state level for historical films.

“The movie ‘Har Har Mahadev’ has got

this board. Therefore, the state government should appoint a committee of historians at the state level for historical films.

Rahul’s Delhi sojourn over, YATRA’S HIATUS ENDS!

Dausa:

Bharat

assembly constituency at 8 am on Sunday after a one-day halt at Bhandarej in Dausa district. During this, a huge crowd of local people was seen. In the morning session mainly three groups walked with Rahul Gandhi.

In first group, Profes-

of JNV University walked with Gandhi and discussed new National Education Policy. The other group that walked with Rahul was of litterateurs who expressed concern on attack on free speech on educational institutions. The third interaction was with a group of farmers who raised the issue of amendments made to Land Acquisition Act.

MLAs, so marches are being held. We have expressed our displeasure with the Governor’s statement.”

First India Bureau

— Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister

First India Bureau Mumbai: Actor

odh Bhave and Sharad Kelkar starrer

Har Mahadev’

Ramdas Athawale

Deepak Kesarkar

Sachin Sawant C. Patil

Such marriages are disrupting social harmony and villagers have started coming face to face. Thus, the govt cannot remain silent, Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis said

Surajgarh iron ore project is being opposed for last 5 years.

Rahul Gandhi interacting in English with students of Mahatma Gandhi English Medium School as CM Ashok Gehlot and Govind Singh Dotasra look on at Sikandra exhibition in Dausa on Sunday.

Ziauddin Khan

Rahul Gandhi’s

Jodo Yatra left from Kalakhoh in Sikrai

sor Shishupal Bhadu

The creator of the famous masterpiece 'the Starry Nights' gave birth to a unique style, he developed in Paris and carried through to the end of his life, which is later known as Post-Impressionism, a term encompassing works made by artists unified by their interest in expressing their emotional and psychological responses to the world through bold colours and expressive, often symbolic images. Famous artists had varied inspirations, including Dutch genre painting and the realist paintings of Millet and his contemporaries, but he was particularly influenced by Japanese woodblock prints.

In his final two years, Vincent gained recognition amongst the avantgarde and his work had been displayed in exhibitions in Paris and Brussels. After Vincent's death, his brother Theo wanted nothing more than to raise the profile of his brother's work. Van Gogh inspired a great many artists, and Henri Matisse and Paul Klee were among the first to be inspired by his technique.

When you think of Vincent van Gogh, contemporary art surely isn’t the first thing to pop into your mind. Yet more than 130 years after his death, Dutch artist Van Gogh and his famous paintings still inspire and influence many young hip designers, re sulting in some very exciting col laborations.

Vincent van Gogh created al most 2,000 works of art during his life time. Some of the most well-known landscape paint ings of the post-im pressionism era, if not all of time, were produced by him as a result of his love of nature and flowers. Van Gogh, who was born on this date in 1853 in the Netherlands, drew his artistic inspiration from the surround ing landscape. Sadly, he didn't have much success as an artist throughout his lifetime.

Known as a lunatic, Van Gogh supposedly killed himself in 1890 when he was 37 years old. His works of art are now regarded as some of the most priceless ones to emerge from the 19th century.

Van Gogh's paint ings are a great source of inspira tion for artists working in a vari ety of mediums be cause of their in tense colour pal ettes and expres sive brushstrokes.

Van Gogh's art work may be found in the world of fashion in any thing from Dior to Jeremy Scott's ani mated Moschino collections. Con tinue reading to learn more about the Dutch painter's influence on high fashion in honour of his birthday.

A PIECE OF ART!

UTTKARSHA SHEKHAR uttkarsha.shekhar@firstindia.co.in

As the temperatures drop, it’s not just more moisturiser that’s needed—a few tweaks to your entire regimen will keep your skin protected until summer. From switching up your cleanser, to the latest must-have ingredient in exfoliators, this is City First's guide to tackling winter skin!

skin-chapping winds and oil-clogged pores due to a lack of exfoliation. From switching up your cleanser to checking in on your pigmentation, City First takes you through five ways to refresh your skincare routine for winter.

SWITCH UP YOUR CLEANSER

Winter is almost here, so it’s inevitable that we need to update our skincare regimen as we do with our wardrobes—layering is just as applicable in beauty as it is with clothing. Colder temperatures mean more exposure to the epidermis-drying effects of central heating, not to mention harsh

It’s no surprise that your cleansers need to be swapped out as the weather becomes drier and more hostile. Your face can easily become dehydrated because of central heating, and foaming cleansers can be a little stripping in terms of your skin’s top layer.

An oil cleanser works best—the kind that turns into a milky fluid when you add wa-

Ace to Face: Glam it up!

DON’T SKIP ON EXFOLIATING

People exfoliate more in the summer. It’s hot, we sweat, and the skin has a tendency to get congested, so many people build exfolia tion into their daily routine. But in winter, it’s just as needed — so try not to pass over this important step. You should reduce the exfoliation a bit in winter, [as] you don’t want to overdo it when the skin is sensitive, so cut it down to

cells, and means your products actu ally penetrate the

PIGMENTATION

PROTECT

FROM UVB RAYS

Yes, UVB rays are stronger during the warmer months (these specific rays vary in strength based on geographi

FACEOFTHEDAY

ter for sensitive skin, or if you’re looking to avoid using too many chemicals on your face. Go for masks that contain plant extracts, such as the Comfrey Plant known for soothing and healing skin, or chamomile and aloe vera.

TAILOR YOUR HYDRATION

Last, but not least: hydration. If there’s one thing you need to change about your routine when going from summer to winter, it’s mixing up your moisturisers and adding some variation based on what your skin is calling out for. Some feel that even the richest of creams don’t give them the moisture they need, while others say their skin can become oily and prone to spots when they use products that are too heavy. The key is to listening to your skin and switching it up.

ARIES

MAR 21 - APR 20

Praise of a family member by someone will make you proud. Getting unwell due to changing weather cannot be ruled out for some. You may need to monitor your finances closely. You are likely to win the day on the professional front by your original ideas.

LEO

JULY 24 - AUGUST 23

Positive steps may be required to be taken to restore perfect health. It will be in your interest to speed up a financial transaction. You will come out with flying colours in a competitive situation on the academic front. Appreciation for the work done on the professional front will be there.

SAGITTARIUS

NOV 23 - DEC 22

Do not misunderstand the motives of someone trying to help you. A friendly bet with a friend or a colleague may turn into a fight, so be careful. Will power, will be your key to remain in shape. An exciting time lies ahead as travelling with friends is foreseen. You are set to grow professionally.

TAURUS

APR 21 - MAY 20

You will continue to enjoy your good health if you stick to a proper diet and exercise regime. You may finally meet your financial savior who will help

VIRGO

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUNE 21

A new plot, house or apartment can be acquired by some.Be more assertive in dealing with workplace issues, otherwise you can be taken for granted by others. Joining an online exercise routine is indicated and will prove beneficial. Luck favours you on the academic front.

LIBRA

SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22

Your initiative will help mend fences with someone you were not in talking terms. Academic pursuits will be fruitful. Taking up a regular fitness routine will help you get into shape. Increase in household expenditure is possible, so take all steps to cut it down.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

JAN 21 - FEB 19

Keep a close tab on what you eat if you want to remain healthy. You must limit your expenses to only buying essential stuff. In office, your colleagues may not like your upfront nature. Your love may not give the kind of attention you have been waiting for.

CANCER

JUNE 22 - JULY 23

This is the time to become serious about getting in shape and start eating healthy. You have limited income as of now and that could trouble you but don’t worry the times will change. Due to no work pressure in office, you could spend more time with near and dear ones.

SCORPIO

OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22

You may go for a cheat meal all as a reward for maintaining good health. If you have been struggling with money then that’s a thing of a past now as money will flow in from all the directions. In office, you will support your colleague by sharing his/her work pressure.

PISCES

FEB20 - MARCH 20

Your optimism will keep you going and you will find yourself in absolute peace. The more time you invest in a project completion, the better it will in terms of monetary gains. In social life, avoid venting your anger on some who is younger or elder to you.

Horoscope by Saurabbh Sachdeva

MITALI DUSAD mitalidusad01@gmail.com

‘ADAMS FAMILY’

Janhvi Kapoor is one of the most stylish and most loved actresses from the current generation. She recently grabbed all the eyeballs for sporting a bold look at a recent event. She wore a bodycon black velvet gown and looked fabulous. We bet it would have been difficult for anyone to take their eyes off her. The actress posted a couple of her pictures of this look on her Instagram handle today. But what caught our attention was

Varun Dhawan’s comment.

Janhvi Kapoor shared a couple of her pictures in her black bodycon gown. She wore a halter-neck gown that not only accentuated her curves but also made her look fabulous. Varun Dhawan, who will soon be seen sharing screen space with her in Bawaal, took to the comments section and

wrote, “Adams Family”. Janhvi Kapoor instantly replied, “@ varundvn are u calling me scary.” We are still waiting for Varun’s reply to this.

Priyanka Chopra and her husband-singer Nick Jonas are among the most popular actors in Hollywood. While Nick Jo-

the other hand, is known for her powerpacked acting skills. Rest in peace and love Witch. You truly were a light.”

‘Beautiful Moments’

ansika Motwani has been treating the fans with sneak peeks from her wedding fes tivities with husband Sohael Khaturiya. Recently, the new bride took to her Instagram handle and dropped a fresh set of photographs from what looks like her sangeet ceremony. Posting the stills on the photo-sharing app, the Maha ac tress captioned the post with a ring and firework emoji. For the special day, she wore a pink embellished lehenga with a matching blouse and

Hansika Motwani completed her look with a beautiful Kundan set, matching earrings, bangles, and mang tikka.

As for the makeup, she opted for a light pink lip color and pink eyeshadow. We can also see her henna-painted hands in the photographs.

While she is posing alone in a few pic tures, in others, the star is accom panied by Sohael Khaturiya, her mother, and her brother.

Kajal drops an aww-worthy picture

The netizens love to see Kajal Aggarwal with her little bundle of joy Neil Kichlu on social media. Whenever the actress shares a sneak peek of her time with her little one, the fans go gaga and shower the post with love and admiration. Recently, the Hey Sinamika star shared another heart-melting update with her two favorite

men, Neil and hubby Gautam Kichlu on Instagram. She dropped some glimpses of her time with her baby boy and wrote, “My tiny, growing up so fast @neil_ kitchlu @ kitchlug”.

In the clip shared by Kajal Aggarwal, she can be seen cuddling her munchkin as the star and her husband shared some precious moments with their firstborn.

Shanaya dances her heart

Shanaya Kapoor is yet to make her Bollywood de but but still enjoys a huge fan following. The budding actress never fails to impress her fans with pictures and videos. And keeping up with the trend her mother Maheep Ka poor shared a series of pictures and videos from an engagement ceremony. Recently, Shanaya Ka poor with her family attended Ri shi Sujan and Vedika Karnani’s engagement celebrations where She was decked up in a glittery beige colour saree. In one of the videos, Sanjay was also seen dancing his heart out on a dhol

‘THE GIRL WITH A GOLDEN HEART’

After making quite a splash in the South, the Geetha Govindam actress Rashmika Mandanna is making a lot of noise in Bollywood. Following a successful de but with Goodbye, the diva will appear in her second Hindi project Mission Majnu along side Sidharth Malhotra soon. Last night, the actress was clicked by the shutterbugs in Mumbai as she posed with a heart sign for the paparazzi.

For her latest appearance, Rashmika Mandanna looked chic in a white pantsuit with a black belt. She tied up her outfit of the day with a messy hair bun and black heels. Although, this is not the first time the diva has kept the fashion police on its toes with her sartorial choices.

Meanwhile, Rashmika Mandanna will once again share screen space with Allu Arjun in the muchawaited sequel, Pushpa: The Rise. Now,the makers plan to release the second instalment of the Pushpa franchise in India and Russia simultaneously.

Kajal Aggarwal

Priyanka Chopra

Janhvi and Varun

Janhvi Kapoor

Shanaya Kapoor

Hansika Motwani

Maheep’s post...

Rashmika Mandanna

EXPECTED BHEDIYA TO DO BETTER IN NUMBERS: VARUN DHAWAN

ASHISH TIWARI cityfirst.mumbai@firstindia.co.in

After completing 10 years in the industry as an actor, Varun Dhawan has mixed results for 2022. Both his films, Jugjugg Jeeyo and Bhediya, haven’t had the reception that one would expect with them before they were released. Jugjugg Jeeyo, directed by Raj Mehta, dealt with marriage, divorce and difficult family relationships, while Bhediya had him transform into a werewolf.

Starring Varun Dhawan as a werewolf, the creature comedy Bhediya was released in the theatres on November 25. The Amar Kaushik directorial struggled at the box office as Ajay Devgn starrer Drishyam 2, which hit the theatres a week earlier on November 18, remained the first choice of moviegoers. As per a Bolly-

wood Hungama report, Bhediya collected Rs 62.33 crore in its threeweek run at the domestic box office. Now, Varun Dhawan has finally reacted to its box office performance in his recent interview saying that he expected the film to do better numbers than it did.

The Student of the Year actor insists that these are the films that fulfil him creatively nevertheless. Varun had a bit of a slowdown during the lock down when only the Coolie No. 1, directed by his father, filmmaker David Dhawan, was released on Prime Video in December 2020. In an interview, the actor said, “When the lockdown happened, I hit a roadblock. I was burnt out. I felt my choices have to be films that I am [creatively] satisfied with. [The reason to do them] should not be that I have dates available.”

He added, “I waited a long time to sign Jugjugg Jeeyo, Bhediya, and Nitesh Tiwari’s Bawaal. So, 2022 has been one of the most satisfying years creatively. As an actor, I am

the proudest of these three films.”

However, he did admit that he expected the horror comedy Bhediya to perform better than

Pink Panther wins Pro Kabaddi League

The Bachchan family couldn’t be happier as Abhishek Bachchan’s proKabaddi team, the Jaipur Pink Panthers, won against Puneri Paltan, eventually securing the second win in the league since its inception. The versatile actor also took to social media to share celebratory pictures. He expressed his excitement, saying, “I’m so proud of this team.

They’ve quietly worked toward this cup. Despite the criticism, they kept believing and working. Everybody wrote them off... But they

had confidence in themselves. That’s the way to do it! It’s taken us nine years to win this cup again.

And I’m so happy with this team.

Teamwork, hard work, and silent determination... the @ jaipur_pinkpanthers way!”

Sharing the post, Aishwarya wrote,

“Jaipur Pink Panthers are the Pro Kabaddi Season 9 CHAMPIONS. What a great season! We are proud of our team of incredibly talented, focused, and hard-

it did at the box office. Director Amar Kaushik’s previous outing in the genre, Stree (2018), had been an unexpected success.

[better box-office] numbers than it did. Having said that, I am grateful that people have seen the film in cinemas, and its [collection] is higher than that of many. It tells you that you should try and do better.”

Varun added, “Honestly when I have to cut down my price to do these films, I will do it because a film calls out to [the artiste] in you. Similarly, when I have to do a Bhediya, or movies that have a larger vision, I’ll make it in a certain way. My approach is simple — we should make a good film, and the producer should not lose money. The box office is important, but sometimes, I want to do movies because they are unmissable for the actor in me.”

Harrdy completes a decade in the Industry

Actor-singer

Harrdy Sandhu, who is known for his song ‘Bijlee Bijlee’and several others, has completed a decade of his journey in the industry.

He began his journey with the album

‘This is Harrdy Sandhu,’ which was released in 2012.

The singer said in a

statement: “I am ever grateful for everything this industry has given to me. This decade seems to have flown by in a blink. All the credit goes to the fans for making the song a success.”

“I hope you guys continue to shower love on my songs.” He recently also sang the revamped version of ‘Kya Baat Hai’

Varun told in an interview, “It has been such a strange year, [with films] trying to get people back to theatres I expected Bhediya to do

Talking about Varun’s next film Bawaal, the Nitesh Tiwari directorial will release on April 7 next year. The film will pair the Badlapur actor with Janhvi Kapoor for the first time on the big screen. Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, the film has been shot across Europe and India.

Not only is actress Sumbul Touqeer making us proud of her stay in the Bigg Boss house, but the ac tress has been winning acco lades outside the house as well. Sumbul, who rose to fame after her super-successful show Imlie, enjoys tremendous popularity. A testimony to this is the fact that she is part of the Top Global Asian Celebrity List for 2022. What’s more? Well, not only is she on the list! But she is also the youngest contestant there!

19-year-old Sumbul’s journey in the Bigg Boss house has been far from smooth sailing. The actress has shone her brightest as she continues to overcome challenge after challenge.

Touted to be one of the most real contestants in the house, Sum bul has been consistently win ning her fans’ hearts as she con tinues to play the game well. This week, she is also one of the captains of the house!

Alia Bhatt needs no introduction. The actress has gone on to carve a niche for herself in Bollywood within no time. Alia embraced motherhood on November 6, 2022, with her husband-actor Ranbir Kapoor, and is radiant as a new mother in town!

Just a while back, Alia shared a new picture on her Instagram handle and her post-pregnancy is unmissable.

Posting a sun-kissed picture on Instagram, in her caption, Alia wrote: “time to trouble you with

another one of my sunshine selfies. happy Sunday.”

The actress can be seen laying on her bed as she donned a ribbed grey T-

Ved’s madness everywhere

Riteish Deshmukh’s Ved which is his first as a director is making news with its amazing cast and direction along with its pathbreaking promotions. With multiple promotional events and activities ahead of the release,

weeks on the IMDb’s Most Anticipated Film List, this film is creating waves like no other. An out-of-theworld teaser which was received quite well at the Malad Masti event and the upheaval at SIES College for the Ved Lavnara Twist Unveil gave us a guarantee that it is going to be a box

shirt and tied her in a bun. Alia’s glow left her fans impressed and sent love to her in the comments section.

working Kabaddi sportsmen... Kudos boys!!! God bless you with love and light; more power to you, and keep shining!”

Varun Dhawan

Harrdy Sandhu

Star cast of Ved during the promotional event Alia

Bachchan family celebrates the victory

Sumbul Touqeer